IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


ti 
^ 


// 


/. 


4^ 


U.s 


l: 


1.0 


I.I 


IS  da  1121 


Ui 


lAO 


11111.25  ill  1.4 


2.0 


1.6 


PhoiDgraphic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  1«S80 

(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 
Microfiche 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historlques 


tS 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilieur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


D 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvertur6  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagie 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculie 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


[~~|    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout6es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 

AcJitional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires.- 


D 
D 
D 


• 


D 


n 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauries  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolordes,  tachstdes  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Panes  ddtach^es 


r^    Showthrough/ 


Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementaiy  materi{ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementaiy  material/ 

I      I    Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  it6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  facon  ik 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


J 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmed  her*  hes  been  reproduced  thenke 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library 

Trent  University,  Peterborougli 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  rcproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnirosit*  de: 

Library 

Trent  University,  Peterborough 


The  image*  eppearing  here  are  the  beat  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  SDecifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t4  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  le  nettetA  de  rexemplaire  filmA,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmege. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  lest  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impree- 
sion,  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  psge  with  a  printed  or  illuetrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrsted  impression. 


Lee  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couvertura  en 
pepier  est  ImprimAe  sent  fiimAs  en  commenpant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exempieires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpent  per  le 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  an  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  freme  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED ").  or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  dee  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE".  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


Meps,  pistes,  cherts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  et 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmte  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  diff brents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  cliche,  ii  est  fiimi  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'im&ges  n^cessaire.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

mmmm 


LIFE 


O 
0) 

cq 

4) 
09 


0» 


TECUMSEH, 


A«J>  or  HIS  DROTBKB 


THE     PROPHET; 


WITH  A 


HISTORICAL    SKETCH 


OF   THB 


SHAWANOE    INDIAMS. 


O 


a 
o 

en 

m 

•3 

u 
O 


BY  BENJAMIN  DRAKE, 

ACTHOH    OV    "THE    UFB    OP    BLACK   HAWK,"    « TAXS8    FHOM   THK 
aVKEN    CITT,"    &C.    &C. 


CINCINNATI: 

H.  M.  RULISON,  QUEEN  CITY  PUBLISHING  HOUSE,   115.^  MAIN  ST 

PHILADELPHIA: 

QUAKRR  CITY  PUBLISHING  HOUSE,  32  SOUTH  THIRD  S»T. 

1856. 


I^wwppppilp 


mmmm 


mmmmmmm 


^?)e.  ^?>sT\a 


Entered  according  to  Aet  of  Congrete,  in  the  year  1841, 

BY  BENJAMIN  DRAKE, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  for  the  District  Court  of  Ou^w. 


Stereotyped  by  J,  A.  Jemps. 
Clnetniuti. 


^ 


■UJ  Vi 


PREFACE. 


Many  years  have  elapsed  since  the  author  of  this  rolume 
determined  to  write  the  Ufe  of  Tecumskh  and  of  his  brother 
the  Prophet,  and  actually  commenced  the  collection  of  the 
materi^s  for  its  accom^plishmsnt.  From  various  causes,  the 
completion  of  the  task  Has  been  postponed  until  the  present 
time.  This  delay,  however,  has  probably  proved  beneficial 
to  the  work,  as  many  interesting  incidents  in  the  lives  of 
these  individuals  are  now  embraced  in  its  pages,  which  could 
not  have  been  included  had  it  been  put  to  press  at  an  earlier 
period. 

In  the  preiJaration  of  this  volume,  the  author's  attention 
was  drawn,  to  some  extent,  to  the  history  of  the  Shawanoe 
tribe  of  Indians :  and  he  has  accordingly  prefixed  to  the  main 
work,  It  brief  historical  narrative  of  this  wandering  and 
warlike  nation,  with  biographical  sketches  of  several  of  its 
most  distinguished  chiefs. 

The  author  is  under  lasting  obligations  to  a  number  of 
gentlemen  residing  in  different  sections  of  the  country,  for 
the  substantial  assistance  which  they  have  kindly  aflTorded 
him  in  the  collection  of  the  matter  embraced  in  this  volume. 
Other  sources  of  information  have  not,  however,  been  ne- 
glected. All  the  histories,  magazines  and  journals  within 
the  reach  of  the  author,  containing  notices  of  the  subjects  of 
this  memoir,  have  been  carefuUy  consulted.  By  -application 
at  the  proper  department  at  Washington,  copies  of  the  nu- 
merous letters  written  by  general  Harrison  to  the  Secretary 
ot  War  m  the  years  1808,  %  '10,  '11.  '12  and  '13,  were  ol>. 

iii 


006263 


' 


6 


"  PRKFACE. 

tained,and  have  been  found  of  much  value  in  the  preparation 
of  this  work.  As  governor  of  Indiana  territory,  superintend- 
ant  of  Indian  affairs,  and  afterwards  commander-in-chief  of 
the  north-western  army,  the  writer  of  those  letters  possessed 
opportunities  of  knowing  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet  enjoy 
ed  by  no  o'Jier  individuals. 

In  addition  to  these  several  sources  of  information,  the 
author  has  personally,  at  different  times,  visited  the  frontiers 
of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  for  the  purpose  of  conversing  with  the 
Indians  and  the  pioneers  of  that  region,  who  happened  to  be 
acquainted  with  Tecumseh  and  his  brother;  and  by  these 
visits,  has  been  enabled  to  enrich  his  narrative  with  some 
amusing  and  valuable  anecdotes. 

In  the  general  accuracy  of  his  work  the  author  feels  con- 
siderable confidence :  in  its  merit,  as  a  literary  production, 
very  litfle.  Every  line  of  it  having  been  written  while  suf- 
fering under  the  depressing  influence  of  ill  health,  he  has 
only  aimed  at  a  simple  narrative  style,  without  any  reference 
to  the  graces  of  a  polished  composition.  ,  B.  D. 

Cincinnati  1841. 


II 


i^ 


preparation 
uperintend- 
■in-chief  of 
B  possessed 
phet  enjoy 

nation,  the 
he  frontiers 
ig  with  the 
)ened  to  be 
i  by  these 
with  some 

r  feels  con* 
production, 
while  8uf- 
ith,  he  has 
r  reference 
B.  D. 


CONTENTS. 


HllTOBT  or  TUL  SUAWANOB    Ixi)lAS» p^,,    9 

Gatahecassa,  or  Black-Hoof   a* 

GoBirsTALK .^ 

• 4o 

Sfkiiica-Lawba,  the  Hxoh  Honw ;  or,  CAPTAtx  Looak  4t 


THE   LIFE   OF   TECUMSEH. 
CHAPTER  I. 


Parentage  of  Tecumseh— his  sister  Tecumapease— hig  brother  CheeMe- 
kau,  Sauweeseekau,  Nehaaseemo,  Tenskwautawa  or  the  Prophet  and 

Kumskauka *    ., 

•'** •   0* 

CHAPTER  n. 

Birth  place  of  Tecumseh-Jestruction  of  the  Piqua  village— early  habiti 
of  Tecumseh— his  first  battle— effort  to  abolish  the  burning  of  priaon- 
ere— visits  the  Cherokees  in  the  south— engages  in  several  batUe^-w 
turns  to  Ohio  in  the  autumn  of  1790 g« 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Tecumseh  attacked  near  Big  Rock  by  some  whites  under  Robert  M'Clel- 
land— severe  battle  with  some  Kentuckians  on  the  East  Fork  of  the  Little 
Miami-attack  upon  Tecumseh  in  1793,  on  the  waters  of  Paint  eieek 
—Tecumseh  present  at  the  attack  on  fort  Recovery  in  1794— partici- 
pates  in  the  battle  of  the  Rapids  of  the  Maumee,  in  1794 71 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Tocumseh's  skiU  as  a  hunteiv-declmes  attending  the  treaty  of  GreenviUe 
m  1795— m  1796  removed  f.o  Great  Miami-in  1798  joined  a  party  of 
Delaware,  on  White  river,  Indiana-in  1799  attended  a  council  be. 

A3  Y 


:'jf 


•  s 


'^  CONTKNTI. 

twm  the  whRM  uid  Indiuia  now  Urban»-«noUi«  at  Chillicothe  in 
•^  it;!""*^.*".'"  ■""  ■P«'<^»»-remove.  with  th«  Prophet  to  GreenTille, 
in  1805-the  latter  commence.  prophecying~oiu«.  the  death  of  Teti». 
boxu  PatterBon,  Coltoe,  and  Joahua-governor  Harriaon'.  apeech  to  the 
Prophet  to  arreat  them>  murderera-«ffort  «f  Well,  tbe  U.  8.  IndUn  agent 
to  prerent  Tecumsehand  the  Prophet  from  UMnbling  the  Indian,  at 
OreenTiHe-TecumMh'.  speech  in  reply-he  attend,  a  councU  at  Chil- 
Iicoth^-apeech  on  that  occaaion-council  at  Springfleld-Tecum«.h 
principal  speaker  and  actor go 

CHAPTER  V. 

Governor  Harriaon'a  addrei  to  the  Shawanoe  chiefii  at  OT«mTilli>-th. 
Prophet  a  reply-hi.  influence  felt  among  the  remote  tribe^he  i.  Tuit- 
ed  in  1808  by  great  number,  of  Indiana-Tecumwh  and  the  Prophet 
remove  to  Tippecanoe-the  latter  mmd,  a  q«ech  to  governor  Harriwn 
—make,  him  a  viot  at  Vincennes iqq 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Tecum^h  viaita  the  Wyandota-^ovemor  Harriwn'a  letter  about  the 
Prophet  to  the  Secretary  of  War-Briti.h  influence  over  the  Indian*- 
Tecum»h  bum.  governor  Harriwn'.  letter  to  the  chieft-grcat  alarm 
in  Indiana,  m  conwquence  of  the  assemblage  of  the  Indians  at  Tip- 
pecanoe-death  of  Leatherlip.,  a  Wyandot  chief,  on  a  charge  of  witch- 
109 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

Governor  Harrison  makes  another  eflTort  to  a«^rtain  the  deugn.  of  Te- 
cinn«h  and  Uie  Prophet-Tecumseh  visit,  the  governor  at  Vincenne^ 
attended  by  four  hundred  wanriorB-a  councU  is  held-Tecumseh  be- 
come,  deeply  excited,  and  chai:ge8  governor  Harriwn  with  iklMshood- 
councU  broken  up  in  di«)rder— renewed  the  next  day lao 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

Alarm  on  the  frontier  continue«i-a  Mudcoe  Indian  killed  at  Vmcennes- 

go^mor  Harrison  sends  a  pacific  speech  to  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet 

-the  former  repUes  to  it-in  July  Tecumseh  visit,  governor  Harrison  at 

Vmcenne.--<hsavows  any  intention  of  making  war  upon  the  white.- 

.    wplain.  his  object  in  forming  a  union  among  the  tribein-govemor  Har- 

^s  opmion  of  Tecum.*  and  the  Prophet-murdtr  of  tha  Deaf 

JJ«*f—Teoumaah  vwtf  tha  »,ithem  Indiana is3 


Chillicothe  in 
to  GreetiTille, 
death  of  Tete- 
I  speech  to  the 
).  Indian  agent 
he  Indians  at 
'uncil  at  Chil- 
d — Tecumaeh 
82 


reenTilI»-4he 
►—-he  isTirit- 
I  the  Prophet 
mot  Harriflon 
100 


sr  about  the 
be  Indiana— 
-great  alarm 
liana  at  Tip- 
rge  of  witch- 
109 


signs  of  Te- 
t  Vincennes, 
ecumseh  be- 
ialaehood — 
120 


Vincennes — 
the  Prophet 
Harrison  at 
he  whites-— 
veraor  Har« 
f  the  Deaf 
183 


GOUTBVTf.  411 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Gowmor  Harrison  applies  to  the  War  Department  for  troop*  to  maintain 
peace  on  the  frontiers— batUo  of  Tippecanoe  on  the  yth  of  November— 
iU  influence  on  the  Prophet  and  his  follower* 140 

CHAPTER  X. 

Tecumaeh  returns  from  the  south— proposes  to  visit  the  President,  but  de- 
dines,  because  not  permitted  to  go  to  Washington  at  the  head  of  a  par- 
ty—attends  a  council  at  fort  Wayne— proceeds  to  Maiden  and  joins  the 
British— governor  Harrison's  letter  to  the  War  Department  relaUve  to 
the  north-west  tribes jgg 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Tecumaeh  participates  in  the  battle  6f  Brownstown— commands  the  Indi- 
ans  in  the  action  near  Maguaga— present  at  Hull's  surrender— general 
Brock  presents  him  hia  militai^  sash— attack  on  Chicago  brought  about 
by  Tecumaeh .-„ 

CHAPTER  XII. 

«iege  of  fort  Meigs— Tecumaeh  commands  the  Indians-acta  with  intrepid- 
ity—rescues the  American  priaonere  from  the  tomahawk  and  scalping 
knife,  afler  Dudley's  defeat-reported  agreement  between  Proctor  and 
Tecumaeh,  that  general  Harrison,  if  taken  prisoner,  should  be  delivered 
to  the  latter  to  be  burned ,g~ 

CHAPTER  Xin. 

^^ecumseh  present  at  the  second  attack  on  fort  Meigs-his  stratagem  of  a 
snam-battle  to  draw  out  general  Clay-is  posted  in  the  Black  Swamp 
wiA  two  tnousand  warriors  at  the  time  of  the  attack  on  fort  Stephenaon 
—from  thence  passes  by  land  to  Maiden— compela  general  Proctor  to 
release  an  American  prisoner— threatena  to  desert  the  British  cause- 
urges  an  aitacK  ujwn  the  American  fleet-opposes  Proctor's  retreat  from 
Maiden— delrrersr  a  speech  to  him  on  that  occasion 133 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Retreat  of  the  combined  British  4na  Imlian  army  to  the  river  Thames- 
•kirmish  at  Chatiiam  with  the  twops  under  general  Harri«>n-Tecum. 


I  r 


^  CONTlNTf. 

■eh  sligbtly  wounded  in  Oia  unK-brtO.  on  Um  Thunes  on  Um  fith  of 
Octobeiw.TecunMeh'«  death j«j. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Criticd  .Mmination  of  the  quwtion  "who  killed  Tocumwh  ? "-ixrfoiial 
II.  M.  Johnion'e  claim  conaidered loo 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Mr.  Jeffenwn'.  opbion  of  the  Prophet-brief  sketch  of  hi,  chamcteiu-^. 

ecdote.  of  Tecum«h-a  review  of  tlie  great  principle,  o!  hi-  plan  of 

union  «nong  the  tribe»-ge„enU  miminary  of  hi.  life  and  chanu:. 

819 


I  V 


U^' 


^4 


HISTORY 


OF   THS 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS. 


! 


There  is  a  tradition  among  the  Shawanoes,  in  re- 
gard to  their  origin,  which  is  said  to  be  peculiar  to  that 
tribe,  ^hile  most  of  the  aborigines  of  this  country 
believe  that  their  respective  races  came  out  of  holes  in 
the  earth  at  different  places  on  this  continent,  the  Shaw- 
anoes alone  claim,  that  their  ancestors  once  inhabited 
a  toreign  land;  but  having  determined  to  leave  it,  thev 
assembled  their  people  and  marched  to  the  sea  shore. 
Here,  under  the  guidance  of  a  leader  of  the  Turtle 
tribe,  one  of  their  twelve  original  subdivisions,  they 
walked  mto  the  sea,  the  waters  of  which  immediately 
parted,  and  they  passed  in  safety  along  the  bottom  of 
the  ocean,  until  they  reached  this  island.* 

The  Shawanoes  have  been  known  by  different  names. 
1  he  Iroquois,  according  to  Colden's  history  of  the  «  Five 
Nations,"  gave  them  the  appellation  of  Satanas.  The 
Delawares,  says  Gallatin,  in  his  synopsis  of  the  Indian 
^ibes,  call  them  Shawaneu,  which  means  southern. 
J  he  French  writers  mention  them  under  the  name  of 
Chaouanons;  and  occasionally  they  are  denominated 
Massawomees. 

The  orthography  of  the  word  by  which  they  are  gen- 
erally designated,  is  not  very  well  settled.  It  has  been 
written  Shawanos,  Sawanos,  Shawaneu,  Shawnees  and 
Ijhawanoes,  which  last  method  of  spelling  the  word, 
will  be  followed  in  the  pages  of  this  work. 

L  M^fef  *^  ^^  '^"'^^  °^  ^*"^^  A°»«ri«*'  ^y  J'"n««  Hall  and  J. 
c™St;:?'2:L"cS^""^^^^  °"^  '^"'^^'^  and  twenty  richly 

9 


■xc 


'  is 

(■ 
I 


10 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


The   onginai  seats  of  the   Shawanocs   have   been 
placed  m  difterent  sectiors  of  the  country.     This  has 
doubtless  been  owing  to  their  very  erratic  disposition. 
Of  their  history,  prior  to  the  year  1680,  but  little  is 
known.     The  earliest  mention  of  them  by  any  writer 
whose  work  has  fallen  under  our  observation,  was  in 
the  begnninig  of  the  seventeenth  century.    Mr.  Jeil'er- 
son,  m  his  «  Notes  on  Virginia,"  says  that  when  captain 
John  Smith  first  arrived  in  America,  a  fierce  war  was 
raging  against  the  allied  M-hicans,  residing  on  Lout 
Island,  and  the  Shawanoes  on  the  Susqueiianna,  and 
to  the  westward  of  that  river,  by  the  Iroquois.     Caj)- 
tain  Smith  first  landed  on  this  continent  in  April.  1607. 
In  the  following  year,  1608,  he  penetrated  down  the 
Susquehanna  to  the  mouth  of  it,  where  he  met  six  or 
seven  of  Iheir  canoes,  filled  with  warriors,  about  to 
attack  their  enemy  in  the  rear.  .  Be  Laet,  in  1632,  in 
his  enumeration  of  the  difterent  tribes,  on  either  side 
of  the   Delaware  river,  mentions  the  Shawanoes.— 
Charlevoix  speaks  of  them  under  the  name  of  Cha- 
ouanons,  as  neighbors  and  allies  in  1672,  of  the  An- 
dastes,  an  Iroquois  tribe,  living  south  of  the  Senecas. 
Whether  any  of  the   Shawanoes  were  present  at  the 
treaty*  made  in  1682,  under  the  celebrated  Kensington 
elm,  between  William  Penn  and  the  Indians,  does  not 
positively  appear  from  any  authorities  before  us ;  that 
such,  however,  was  the  fact,  may  be  fairly  inferred, 
from  the  circumstance  that  at  a  conference  between 
the  Indians  and  governor  Keith,  in  1722,  the  Shawa- 
noes exhibit^-'  a  copy  of  this  treaty  written  on  parch- 
ment. 

To  the  SI  jteding  one  made  at  Philadelphia,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1701,  the  Shawanoes  were  parties,  being  rep 
resented  on  that  occasion,  by  their  chiefs,  Wopatha, 
Lemoytuugh  and  Pemoyajagh.t  More  than  fifty  years 
afterward,  a  manuscript  copy  of  this  treaty  of  com- 
merce and  friendship,  was  in  the  possession  of  the 
Shav/anoes  of  Ohio,  and  was  exhibited  by  them.    In 


/.u*  " '^J^^  treaty,"  saj  Voltaire, «'  was  the  first  made  between  those  people 
^uic  1.  nans;  ana  tne  UiiristianB,  that  was  not  ratified  with  an  oath,  and 
that  wi^  never  broken ."  ' 

t  Proud's  History  of  Penn  jvlvania. 


have  been 
.     This  has 

disposition, 
but  Uttle  is 
'  any  writer 
tion,  was  in 

Mr.  Jeil'er- 
hen  captain 
ce  war  was 
ig  on  Long 
siianna,  and 
uois.  Caj)- 
April.  1G07. 
1  down  tlie 
!  met  six  or 
s,  about  to 

in  1632,  in 

either  side 
awanoes. — 
tne  of  Cha- 
of  the  An- 
le  Senecas. 
sent  at  the 
Kensington 
IS,  does  not 
re  us ;  that 
ly  inferred, 
;e  between 
the  Shawa- 
1  on  parch- 

lia,  in  Feb- 
being  rep 
Wopatha, 
I  fifty  years 
ty  of  com- 
mon of  the 
them.    In 


;n  those  people 
h  an  oath,  and 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS. 


11 


1684,  the  Iroquois,  when  complained  of  by  the  French 
for  havmg  attacked  the  Miamis,  justified  their  conduct 
on  the  ground,  that  they  had  invited  the  Santanas 
(Shawanoes)  mto  the  country,  for  the  purpose  of  ma- 
kmg  war  upon  them.*  The  Sauks  and  Foxes,  whose 
residence  was  originally  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  claim  the 
Shawanoes  as  belonging  to  the  same  stock  with  them- 
selves, and  retam  traditional  accounts  of  their  emiera- 

^TJ""  !u®  f  "^^.'^  ^"  ^^®  "  ^i^to^y  «f  the  Indian  Tribes 
of  Nor  h  America,"  when  speaking  of  the  Shawanoes, 
.he  authors  say,  "their  manners,  customs  and  language 
mdicate  a  northern  origin ;  and,  upwards  of  two  centu- 
ries ago,  they  held  the  country  south  of  Lake  Erie. 
1  hey  were  the  first  tribe  which  felt  the  force  and  yield- 
ed to  the  superiority  of  the  Iroquois.  Conquered  by 
these,  they  migrated  to  the  south,  and  from  fear  or 
avor,  were  allowed  to  take  possession  of  a  region  upon 
the  Savannah  river ;  but  what  part  of  that  stream, 
whether  in  Georgia  or  Florida,  is  not  known;  it  is  pre- 

dpS!?nW^«r' "     ^''  ^^^^^''''  «P^^^«  of  the  final 
defeat  of  the  Shawanoes  and  their  allies,  in  a  war  with 

i«7o  ^'^^i."'"''  as  having  taken  place  in  the  year  v^ 
1 672.  This  same  writer,  who  has  carefully  studied  the 
anguage  of  the  aborigines,  considers  the  Shawanoes  as 
belonging  to  the  Lenape  tribes  of  the  north.  From 
these  various  authorities,  it  is  apparent  that  the  Shaw- 
anoes belonged  originally  to  the  Algonkin-Lenape  na- 
tion; and  that  during  the  three  first  quarters  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  they  were  found  in  eastern  Penn- 

7fTZ'^''-  '^''  I'  Lawrence,  and  the  southern  sho?e 
01  J.ake  Erie ;  and  generally  at  war  with  some  of  the 
neighbonng  tribes.  Whether  their  dispersion/wh  ch  is 
supposed  to  have  taken  place  about^he  y^ar     672 

Z7vV^iZf  m'  '^'  '""^^  "^^^  ^^  '^'  ^^^'  does  not 
very  satisfactorily  appear. 

fou^n'JI'nn'^'tr^XJ^  'f"'  P'"^^'  '^^  Shawanoes  were 
ound  on  the  Ohio  river  below  the  Wabash,  in  Ken- 

torv^;>f^r^ f  ""^  '^^  ^"^"^^"^^-  L^^-^on^  in  his  hi^. 
tory  of  Carolina  m    1708,  speaks  of  the   Savanoes, 


• 


Colden. 


t  Morse's  Report. 


M 


t« 


HISTORY    OF   THE 


removing  from  the  Mississippi  to  one  of  the  rivers  of 
South  Carolina.  Gallatin  quotes  an  authority  which 
sustains  Lawson,  and  which  establishes  the  fact  that  at 
a  very  early  period  in  the  history  of  the  south,  there 
was  a  Shawanoe  settlement  on  the  head  waters  of  the 
Catawba  or  Santee,  and  probably  of  the  Yadkin.  From 
another  authority  it  appears,  that  for  a  time  the  Shaw- 
anoes  had  a  station  on  the  Savannah  river,  above  Au- 
gusta ;  and  Adair,  who  refers  to  the  war  between  the 
Shawanoes  and  Cherokees,  saw  a  body  of  the  former 
in  the  wilderness,  who,  after  having  wandered  for  some 
time  in  the  woods,  were  then  returning  to  the  Creek 
country.  According  to  John  Johnston,*  a  large  party 
of  the  Shawanoes,  who  originally  lived  north  of  the 
Ohio,  had  for  some  cause  emigrated  as  far  south  as  the 
Suwanoe  river,  which  empties  into  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico. From  thence  they  returned,  under  the  direction 
of  a  chief  named  Black  Hoof,  about  the  middle  of  the 
last  century,  to  Ohio.  It  is  supposed  that  this  tribe 
gave  name  to  the  Suwanoe  river,  in  1750,  by  which 
name  the  Cumberland  was  also  known,  when  Doctor 
Walker,  (of  Virginia)  visited  Kentucky. 

Of  the  causes  which  led  the  Shawanoes  to  abandon 
the  south,  but  little  is  known  beyond  what  may  be 
gleaned  from  their  traditions.  Heckewelder,  in  his 
contributions  to  the  American  Philosophical  Society, 
says,  "they  were  a  restless  people,  delighting  in  wars, 
in  which  they  were  constantly  engaged  with  some  of 
the  surrounding  nations.  At  last  their  neighbors,  tired 
of  being  continually  harassed  by  them,  formed  a  league 
for  their  destructiork  The  Shawanoes  finding  them- 
selves thus  dangerously  situated,  asked  to  be  permitted 
to  leave  the  country,  which  was  granted  to  them ;  and 
they  immediately  removed  to  the  Ohio.  Here  their 
main  body  settled,  and  then  sent  messengers  to  their 
elder  brother,!  the  Mohicans,  requesting  them  to  inter- 
cede for  them  with  their  grandfather,  the  Lenni  Lena- 
pe,  to  take  them  under  his  protection.     This  the  Mohi- 


*  l^Vol^Trans.  Amer.  Antiquarian  Society. 

t  The  Shawanoes  caii  the  Molucans  their  elder  brother,  and  the  Deia- 
wares  Hmhr  grand  father. 


lie  rivers  of 
Drity  which 
fact  that  at 
south,  there 
aters  of  the 
kin.  From 
5  the  Shaw- 
above  All- 
)etween  the 
the  former 
ed  for  some 

0  the  Creek 
large  party 
lorth  of  the 
outh  as  the 
[If  of  Mex- 
le  direction 
ddle  of  the 
t  this  tribe 
I,  by  which 
hen  Doctor 

to  abandon 
at  may  be 
der,  in  his 
al  Society, 
ig  in  wars, 
th  some  of 
hbors,  tired 
3d  a  league 
ding  them- 
3  permitted 
them ;  and 
Here  their 
jrs  to  their 
sm  to  inter- 
enni  Lena- 

1  the  Mohi- 


and  the  iJeia'< 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS.  IQ 

cans  Willingly  did,  and  even  sent  a  body  of  their  own 
people  to  conduct  their  younger  brother  into  the  coun- 
try of  the  Delawares.     The  Shawanoes  finding  them, 
selves  safe  under  tho  protection  of  their  grandfather 
did  not  choose  to  proceed  to  the  eastward,  but  manv 
of  them  remamed  on  the  Ohio,  some  of  whom  settled 
as  lar  up  that  river  as  the  long  island,  above  which 
the  French  afterwards  built  fort  Duquesne,  on  the  spot 
where  Pittsburg  now  stands.     Thole  who  proceed^ed 
farther,  were  accompanied  by  their  chief,  named  Gach- 
Sl.^wl'il'^^n'f"^  '^">^  principally  at  and  about  the 
nffl .  n  f  I>elaware,  between  that  and  the  confluence 
of  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill ;  and  some,  even  on 
the  spot  where  Philadelphia  now  stands;  others  were 
conducted  by  the  Mohicans  into  their  own  coumry 
nponl!  ^^^^y  ^"<«™^rried  with  them  and  became  one 

S   ;•  A    ll!''  ^^^'"^  '^"^^^  "^^^  the  Delaware  had 
multiplied   they  returned    to  Wyoming  on  the   Sus- 

S"±^""^*''  '^^"'"  '^^y  ^^^ided  for  a  great  number  of 
yea  I  s. 

.ff^v7i^''Sl  '"^  ^'^  ^^'^^'y  °^  Wyoming,  states,  that 
after  the  Shawanoes  were  driven  from  Georgia  and 

fn^i^'ir^S^  ^^u  ^  ^T'^  ^t  th^  ™«"th  of  the  Wabash, 
and  established  themselves  in  it.  They  then  applied  to 
the  Delawares  lor  some  territory  on  which  to  reside 
When  granted,  a  council  was  held  to  consider  the  pro! 
pnety  of  accepting  the  ofier  of  the  Delawares.  On  this 
ed  on  the  w'hT^r  ^^^i^^^-P-t  of  them  remlin! 
Pinni  the  Wabash,~the  others,  composing  chiefly  the 
Piqua  tribe    formed  a  settlemem  in  the  forks  of  the 

therand-th.''D''l  "  '"^'^ '  f  l^reemem  arose  between 
tftem  and  the  Delawares,  which  induced  the  former  to 
remove  to  the  valley  of  the  Wyoming,  on  the  S^qul^ 

anS"ll'ed'in'^'  ^'''  '"^^  '^  ^^^^^  ^^W  built  a  town, 
'r^tl  h  Jd  nt  pPvf'.Tu-^  ^'^'''  Subsequemly  to  the 
Ir  TnH  th  i^^' x?^  P^^^'  ^"  ^^42>  h^tween  the  gover- 
f  .n  ?u  !^^  ^'l  Nations,  the  Delawares  were  driven 
f  om  that  part  of  Pennsylvania;  and  a  portion  of  iZ 
stnofThTsV'  the  Wyoming  valley,  ?hen  in  poS 
oTJi  ?„!.^i?}y^^r^.^'  ^^"d  secured  the  quiet  occupan- 
-  "  F«^  ^  "i  u  ;  uuiii  a  town  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
river,  which  they  called  Waughwauwame,  where  they 


-TV 


[m 


14 


BlSTORy   OP   THE 


lived  for  some  time,  on  terms  of  amity  with  tbeir  new 
neighbors. 

During  the  summer  of  1742,  count  Zinzendorf  of 
Saxony,  came  to  America  on  a  religious  mission,  con 
nected  with  the  ancient  church  of  the  United  Brethren. 
Having  heard  of  the  Shawanoes  at  Wyommg,  he  de- 
termined to  make  an  effort  to  introduce  Christianity 
among  them.  He  accordingly  made  them  a  visit,  but 
did  not  meet  with  a  cordial  reception.  The  Shawa- 
noes supposed  that  the  missionary  was  in  pursuit  of 
their  lands ;  and  a  party  of  them  determined  to  assas- 
sinate him  privately,  for  fear  of  exciting  other  Indians 
to  hostility.  The  attempt  upon  his  life  was  made,  but 
strangely  defeated.  Chapman  relates  the  manner  of  it, 
which  he  obtained  from  a  companion  of  the  count,  who 
did  not  publish  it  in  his  memoirs,  lest  the  United  Breth- 
ren might  suppose  that  the  subsequent  conversion  of 
the  Shawanoes  was  tlie  result  of  their  superstition.  It 
is  as  follows : 

"  Zinzendorf  was  alone  in  his  tent,  seated  upon  a 
bimdle  of  dry  weeds,  which  composed  his  bed,  and 
engaged  in  writing,  when  the  assassins-  approached  to 
execute  their  bloody  commission.  It  was  night,  and 
the  cool  air  of  September  had  rendered  a  small  fire 
necessary  for  his  comfort  and  convenience.  A  curtain, 
formed  of  a  blanket,  and  hung  upon  pins,  was  the  only 
guard  to  his  tent.  The  heat  of  his  small  fire  had  arous- 
ed a  large  rattlesnake,  which  lay  in  the  weeds  not  far 
from  it ;  and  the  reptile,  to  enjoy  it  the  more  effectually, 
had  crawled  slowly  into  the  tent,  and  passed  over  one 
of  his  legs,  undiscovered.  Without,  all  was  still  and 
quiet,  except  the  gentle  murmur  of  the  river,  at  the 
rapids  about  a  mile  below.  At  this  moment,  the  In- 
dians softly  approached  the  door  of  his  tent,  and  slight- 
ly removing  the  curtain,  contemplated  the  venerable 
man,  too  deeply  engaged  in  the  subject  of  his  thoughts, 
to  notice  either  their  approach,  or  th.  -r.ake  which  lay 
before  him.  At  a  sight  like  this,  even  ihe  heart  of  the 
savages  shrunk  from  the  idea  of  committing  so  horrid 
an  act ;  and,  quitting  the  spot,  they  hastily  returned  to 

Great  Spirit  protected  the  white  man,  for  they  had 


\i  their  uew 

izendorf  of 
nssioii,  con 
d  Brethren. 
img,  he  de- 
Christianity 

a  visit,  but 
'he  Shawa- 

pursuit  of 
ed  to  assas- 
her  Indians 
s  made,  but 
lanner  of  it, 
count,  who 
lited  Breth- 
nversion  of 
rstition.    It 

ted  upon  a 

s  bed,  and 

proached  to 

night,  and 

small  fire 

A  curtain, 

as  the  only 

1  had  arous- 

;eds  not  far 

effectually, 

d  over  one 

as  still  and 

iver,  at  the 

3nt,  the  In- 

and  slight- 

5  venerablf 

is  thoughts, 

'■  which  lay 

leart  of  the 

g  so  horrid 

returned  to 

r  thev  had 


SHAWAMOE    INDIANS. 


u 


found  him  with  no  door  but  a  blanket,  and  had  seen  a 
large  rattlesnake  crawl  over  his  legs  without  attempt- 
ing to  injure  him.  This  circumstance,  together  with 
the  arrival  soon  afterwards  of  Conrad  Weizer,  the  in- 
terpreter, procured  the  count  the  friendship  of  the  In- 
dians, and  probably  induced  some  of  them  to  embrace 
Christianity." 

When  the  war  between  the  French  and  the  English  ^ 
occurred  m  1754,  the  Shawanoes  on  the  Ohio  took 
sides  with  the  former ;  but  the  appeal  to  those  residing 
It  Wyoming  to  do  the  same,  was  ineffectual.     The  in- 
-:.uence  of  the  count's  missionary  efforts  had  made  them 
averse  to  war.     But  an  event  which  happened  soon 
alterward,  disturbed  the  peace  of  their  settlement,  and 
finally  led  to  their  removal  from  the  valley.     Occasion- 
al difficulties  of  a  transient  nature,  had  arisen  between 
the  Delawares  and  the  Shawanoes  at  Wyoming.    An 
unkind  feeling,  produced  by  trifling  local  causes,  had 
grown  up  beiween  the  two  tribes.    At  length  a  child- 
ish dispute  about  the  possession  of  a  harmless  grass- 
hopper, brought  on  a  bloodv  battle;  and  a  final  sepa- 
ration of  the  two  parties  soon  followed.     One  day, 
while  most  of  the  Delaware  men  were  absent  on  a 
hunting  excursion,  the  women  of  that  tribe  went  out  to 
gather  wild  fruits  on  the  margin  of  the  river,  below 
their  village.     Here  they  met  a  number  of  Shawanoe 
women  and  their  children,  who  had  crossed  the  stream 
in  their  canoes,  and  were  similarly  engaged.     One  of 
the  Shawanoe  children  having  caught  a  large  grasshop- 
per, a  dispute  arose  with  some  of  the  Delaware  chil- 
dren, m  regard  to  the  possession  of  it.     In  this  quarrel 
us  was  natural,  the  mothers  soon  became  involved! 
Ihe  Delaware  women  contended  for  the  possession  of 
th6  grasshopper  on  the  ground  that  the  Shawanoes  pos- 
sessed no  privileges  on  that  side  of  the  river.    A  resort 
to  violence  ensued,  and  the  Shawanoe  women  being  in 
the  minority,  were  speedily  driven  to  their  canoes,  and 
compelled  to  seek  safety  by  flight  to  their  own  bank  of 
the  stream.     Here  the  matter  rested  until  the  return  of 
the  hunters,  Avhen  the  Shawanoes,  in  order  to  avenge 
the  indignity  offered  to  their  wnm^n  nrm^/i  th«*«o«N°« 
101  battle.    When  they  attempted  to  cross  the  river. 


. /.-TMMlMNMHMMI 


16 


BIST0R7    OF    THK 


they  found  the  Delawares  duly  prepared  to  receiVA 
them  and  oppose  their  landing.  The  battle  commen- 
ced while  the  Shawanoes  were  still  in  their  canoes,  but 
they  at  length  effected  a  landing,  which  was  followed 
by  a  general  and  destructive  engagement.  The  Shaw- 
anoes  having  lost  a  number  of  their  warriors  before 
reaching  the  shore,  were  too  much  weakened  to  sus- 
tain the  battle  for  any  length  of  time.  After  the  loss 
of  nearly  one  half  their  party,  they  were  compelled  to 
fly  to  their  own  side  of  the  river.  Many  of  the  Dela- 
wares were  killed.  Shortly  after  this  disastrous  con- 
test, the  Shawanoes  quietly  abandoned  their  village, 
and  removed  westward  to  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.*    ' 

After  the  Shawanoes  of  Pennsylvania  had  fallen  back 
upon  the  waters  of  the  Ohio,  they  spread  themselves 
from  the  Alieghenies  as  far  westward  as  tlie  Big  Miami. 
One  of  their  villages  was  seventeen  miles  below  Pitts- 
burg :  it  was  called  Log's  Town,  and  was  visited  by 
Croghan,  in  1765.  Another,  named  Lowertown,  also 
visited  by  the  same  traveler,  stood  just  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Scioto.  It  was  subsequenti  y  carried  away 
by  a  great  flood  in  that  river,  which  overflowed  the 
site  of  the  town,  and  compelled  the  Indians  to  escape 
in  their  canoes.  They  afterwards  built  a  new  town  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  but  soon  abandoned  it, 
and  removed  to  the  plains  of  the  Scioto  and  Paint  creek, 
where  they  established  themselves,  on  the  north  fork 
of  the  latter  stream.  They  had  also  several  other  vil- 
lages of  considerable  size  in  the  Miami  valley.  One 
was  "  Chillicothe,"  standing  near  the  mouth  of  Massie's 
creek,  three  miles  north  of  Xenia.  Another,  called 
Piqua,and  memorable  as  the  birth  place  of  Tecumseh, 
the  subject  of  our  present  narrative,  stands  upon  the 
north-west  side  of  Mad  river,  about  seven  miles  below 
Springfield,  in  Clark  county.  Both  of  these  villages 
were  destroyed  in  1780,  by  an  expedition  from  Ken- 
tucky, under  the  command  of  general  George  Rogers 
Clark. 

After  the  peace  of  1763,  the  Mianiis  having  remov- 
ed from  the  Big  Miami  river,  a  body  of  Shawanoes 

•  Chnpman. 


r 


w 


Hi 


;d  to  receive 
ittie  commen- 
ir  canoes,  but 
was  followed 
The  Shaw- 
irriors  before 
cened  to  sus- 
\.fter  the  loss 
compelled  to 
•  of  the  Dela- 
sastrous  con- 
their  village, 

0  Ohio.* 

id  fallen  back 
d  themselves 
e  Big  Miami. 

1  below  Pitts- 
is  visited  by 
^ertown,  also 
t  below  the 
carried  away 
erflowed  the 
ms  to  escape 
new  town  on 
ibandoned  it, 
i  Paint  creek, 
e  north  fork 
sral  other  vil- 
valley.  One 
li  of  Massie's 
lother,  called 
f  Tecumseh, 
ids  upon  the 

miles  below 
tiese  villages 
1  from  Ken- 
orge  Rogers 

ving  remov- 
'  Shawanoes 


1 

I 


SHAWANOi:    INDIANS.  J  7 

established  themselves  at  Lower  and  Upper  Piqua  ni 
Miami  county,  which  places,  being  near  together,  be- 
came  their  great  head-quarters  in  Ohio.  Here  thev 
remained  until  driven  otf  by  the  Kentuckians;  when 
they  crossed  over  to  the  St.  Mary's  and  to  Wapaka- 
notta.  The  Upper  Piqua  is  said  to  have  contained,  at 
one  period,  near  four  thousand  Shawanoes.* 

From  the  geographical  location  of  the  Shawanoes,  it 
will  be  perceived  that  they  were  placed  under  circum- 
stances which  enabled  them,  with  great  facility,  to  an- 
noy the  early  settlements  in  Kentucky;  and  to  attack 
the  emigrants  descending  the  Ohio.  In  this  fierce  bor- 
der war,  which  was  waged  upon  the  whites  for  a  num? 
ber  of  years,  and  oftentimes  with  extreme  cruelty,  thl 
Dela wares,  Wyandots,  Mingoes  Ciud  Miamis,  united  : 
the  Shawanoes,  however,  were  by  far  the  most  war- 
like and  troublesome. 

The  Shawanoes  were  originally  divided  into  twelve 
tribes  or  bands,  each  of  which  was  sub-divided  into 
tamilies,  known  as  the  Eagle,  the  Turtle,  the  Panllier, 
&e.,  these  animals  constituting  their  totems.     Of  these 
twelve,  the  names  of  but  four  tribes  are  preserved,  the 
rest  having  become  extinct,  or  incorporated  with  them. 
They  are,  1st.  the  Mequachake,— 2d.  the  Chillicothe,— 
3d.  the  Kiskapocoke,— 4th.  the  Piqua.     When  m  coun- 
cil, one  ot  these  tribes  is  assigned  to  each  of  the  four 
sides  of  the  council-house,  and  during  the  continuance 
oi  the  deliberations,  the  tribes  retain  their  respective 
places.     They  claim  to  have  the  power  of  distinguish- 
ing, at  sight,  to  Avhich  tribe  an  individual  belongs;  but 
to  the  casual  observer,  there  are  no  visible  shades  of 
difterence.     In  each  of  the  four  tribes,  except  the  Me- 
quachake, the  chiefs  owe  their  authority  to  merit,  but 
in  the  last  named,  the  office  is  hereditary.     Of  the  origin 
of  the  Piqua  tribe,  the  following  tradition  has  been  re- 
cited:!   « In  ancient  times,  the  Shawanoes  h^  occasion 
to  build  a  large  fire,  and  after  it  was  burned  down,  a 
great  puffing  and  blowing  was  heard,  when  up  rose  a 


.-M 


*  John  Johnston. 

"^  ^^f^^""  Ruddell's  manuscript  account  of  $he  Shawanoa 
u  >n  ot  the  autlior. 


sjiucs,  m  posse*' 


B  2 


\{ 


la 


HISTOKT   or   THX 


man  from  the  ashes! — Whence  the  name  Piqua,  which 
means  a  man  coming  out  of  the  ashes."  Mequachake, 
signifies  a  perfect  man.  To  this  tribe  the  priesthood  is 
confided.  The  members,  or  rather  certain  individuals 
of  it,  are  aione  permitted  to  perform  the  sacrifices  and 
other  religious  ceremonies  of  the  tribe.*  The  division 
of  the  tribe  into  bands  or  totems,  is  not  peculiar  to  the 
Shawanoes,  but  is  common  to  several  other  nations. 

^  One  of  the  leading  causes  of  its  institution,  was  the 
prohibition  of  marriage  between  those  related  in  a  re- 
mote degree  of  consanguinity.  Individuals  are  not  at 
liberty  to  change  their  totems,  or  disregard  the  restraint 
imposed  by  it  on  intermarriages.  It  is  stated  in  Tan- 
ner's narrative,  that  the  Indians  hold  it  to  be  criminal 
for  a  man  to  marry  a  woman  whose  totem  is  the  same 
as  his  own;  and  they  relate  instances  where  young 
men,  for  a  violation  of  this  rule,  have  been  put  to  death 
by  their  nearest  relatives.  Loskiel,  in  his  history  of 
the  Moravian  missions,  says,  the  Delawares  and  Iro- 
quois never  marry  near  relatives.  According  to  their 
own  account,  the  Indian  nations  were  divided  into 
tribes  for  the  sole  purpose,  that  no  one  might,  either 
through  temptation  or  mistake,  marry  a  near  relation, 
which  is  now  scarcely  possible,  for  whoever  intends 
to  marry  must  take  a  person  of  a  different  totem.     An- 

Aother  reason  for  the  institution  of  these  totems,  may  be 
found  in  their  influence  on  the  social  relations  of  the 
tribe,  in  softening  private  revenge,  and  preserving  peace. 
Gallatin,  on  the  information  derived  from  a  former  In- 
dian agent  t  among  the  Creeks,  says,  «  according  to  the 
ancient  custom,  if  an  offence  was  committed  by  one  or 
another  member  of  the  same  clan,  the  compensation  to 
be  made,  on  account  of  the  injury,  was  regulated  in 
an  amicable  way,  by  the  other  members  of  the  clan. 
Murder  was  rarely  expiated  in  any  other  way  than  by 
the  death  of  the  murderer;  the  nearest  male  relative  ot 
the  deceased  was  the  executioner;  but  this  being  done, 
as  under  the  authority  of  the  clan,  there  was  no  further 
retaliation.  If  the  injury  was  committed  by  some  one 
of  another  clan,  it  was  not  the  injured  party,  but  the 


John  Johnston. 


+  "HcheU. 


'4 


[qua,  which 
[equachake, 
iriesthood  is 

individuals 
crifices  and 
'he  division 
^uliar  to  the 
ler  nations, 
n,  was  the 
Lted  in  a  re- 
s  are  not  at 
he  restraint 
ed  in  Tan- 
be  criminal 
is  the  same 
lere  young 
)Ut  to  death 

history  of 
3s  and  Iro- 
ing  to  their 
ivided  into 
light,  either 
ar  relation, 
vrer  intends 
5tem.  An- 
[ns,  may  be 
tions  of  the 
ving  peace. 

former  In- 
'ding  to  the 
i  by  one  or 
lensation  to 
^gulated  in 
>f  the  clan, 
ay  than  by 

relative  ol 
being  done, 
1  no  further 
1  some  one 
ty,  but  the 

chell. 


8HAWAN0B    IWDIANS.  I9 

Clan  to  which  he  belonged,  that  asked  for  reparation 
This  was  rarely  refused  by  the  clan  of  the  offender  ^ 
but  m  case  of  refusal,  the  injured  clan  had  a  right  to' 
n?^?5^"''^'''«"^'^''  ^y^""'*^  ^he  offender,  in  (Lse 
?.r  offln^'* ""'  ^^'"^'"^  '^^"^  ^^^^'^  punishment  for  les- 
ser  offences.  This  species  of  private  war,  was,  by  the 
Creeks,  called,  «to  take  up  the  sticks;"  because!  the 

At"lhe™t^i^'f  T^^  '^T'^^  ^"  ^«^*^"g  ^he  offender. 
At  the  time  of  the  annual  corn-feast,  the  sticks  were 
laid  down,  and  could  not  be  again  tkken  up  for  the 
same  offence.  But  it  seems  that  originally  there  had 
thl  w  "^^t^^^^V  '^"'^"^^  '^"^«  «f  the  clans.  That  of 
that^f"?.;^«  '^'  r^-^'  V^""  "P  ^h«  ^ti^ks  four  times, 
h^  c^^  S?^^  ^'^*^®'  ^^'^  the  same  offence;  whilst 
those  of  the  Tiger,  of  the  Wolf;  of  the  Bird,  of  the  Root 

r«^l  1  v™""'®  ^^""^  "^""^^  I  <i«^t  know,  could 
th^L^""  ^T  T^:  ^^  '^  ^^^^^"«  that  the  ob  ect  of 
fifc^?^''^"  legislation,  was  to  prevent  or  soften  the  ef- 
dutv  frnnrKi'^?"? '  -^^  transferring  the  power  and 
ThJfnl    the  blood  relatives  to  a  more  impartial  body. 

la^ltT  ^".^  ^J^  ^'°^^^'''  ^y  *h^  «a«^e  ^«other,  never 
cou^^d  belong  to  the  same  clan,  as  their  son  or  nephew 
whilst  the  perpetual  changes   arising  from  iSaT: 
riages  with  women  of  a  different  clan,  prevented  Seir 

\^xllT^  T  ^^f  ^^'  ^"^«^'  and^^hecked  the  nt 
tural  tendency  towards  a  subdivision  of  the  nation  into 
independent  communities.  The  instit.  ion  may  be  con- 
sidered  as  the  foundation  of  the  internal  poEnd Te 
basis  of  the  social  state  of  the  Indians  " 

trii?eTanrfof  Ir'-'"^"?  '^'  ^"^^"  ^^  the  Indian 
tribes,  and  of  determming  their  relation  to  each  other 
as  well  as  to  other  races  of  mankind,  is  the  study  of 
heir   anguage     This  has,  at  differei.    times,  eSed 
the  attention  of  several  able  philologists,  who  have  dfne 

r^st  rnXj^:^^^^^^  and%o  I^ng: 

in  systematic  order,  the  numerous  dialects  of  this  er 
ratic  people  The  results  of  the  investigation  of  one.: 
of  the  most  learned  and  profound  of  thefe  individZs. 
may  be  summed  up  in  the  three  following  proP 


/ 


•  Mr.  Diqionceau. 


tf 


HISTORY    OF    THiJ 


4 


1.  "That  the  American  languages  in  general,  are 
rich  in  words  and  in  grammatical  forms,  and  that  iii 
therr  complicated  construction,  the  greatest  order,  meth- 
od and  regularity  prevail. 

3.  «  That  these  complicated  forms,  which  I  call  poly 
synthetic^  appear  to  exist  in  all  those  languages,  from 
drreenland  to  Cape  Horn. 

3.  "That  these  forms  appear  to  differ  essentially 
from  those  of  the  ancient  and  modern  languages  of  the 
old  hemisphere." 

In  a  late  learned  dissertation  *  on  this  subject,  it  is 
stated  that  in  nearly  the  whole  territory  contained  in 
the  United  States,  and  in  British  and  Russian  America, 
there  are  only  eight  great  families,  each  speaking  a  dis- 
tinct language,  subdivided  in  many  instances,  into  a 
number  of  disilects  belonging  to  the  same  stock.  These 
arc  the  Eskiinaux,  the  Athapascas  (or  Cheppeyans,) 
the  Black  Feet,  the  Sioux,  the  Algonkin-Lenape,  the 
Iroquois,  the  Cherokee,  and  the  Mobilian  or  Chahta- 
Muskhog.  The  Shavvanoes  belong  to  the  Algonkin- 
Lenape  family,  and  speak  a  dialect  of  that  language. 
It  bears  a  strong  affinity  to  the  Mohican  and  the  Chippe- 
way,  but  more  especially,  the  Kickapoo.  Valuable  vo- 
cabularies of  the  Shawanoe  language  have  been  given 
by  Johnston  and  by  Gallatin  in  their  contributions  to 
the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  which  may  be  con- 
sulted by  those  disposed  to  prosecute  the  study  of  this 
subject. 

The  Shawanoes  have  been  known  since  the  first  dis- 
covery of  this  country,  as  a  restless,  wandering  people, 
averse  to  the  pursuits  of  agriculture,  prone  to  war  and 
the  chase.  They  have,  within  that  period,  successively 
occupied  the  southern  shore  of  lake  Erie,  the  banks  of 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi,  portions  of  Georgia,  Florida, 
Tennessee,  Kentucky,  and  eastern  Pennsylvania;  then 
again  the  plains  of  Ohio,  and  now  the  small  remnant 
of  them  that  remains,  are  established  west  of  Missouri 
and  Arkansas.  They  have  been  involved  in  numerous 
bloody  wars  with  other  tribes ;  and  for  near  half  a  cen- 
tury, resisted  with  a  bold,  ferocious  spirit,  and  an  in- 


*  Mr.  Gallatin. 


iiill 


SHAWANOK    INDIANA. 


«1 


eneral,  are 
iid  that  ill 
rder,  ineth- 

I  call  poly 
lages,  from 

essentially 
ages  of  the 

iibject,  it  is 
ititained  in 
n  America, 
iking  a  dis- 
ices,  into  a 
3ck.  These 
leppeyans,) 
^enape,  the 
or  Chahta- 
I  Algonkin- 
.t  language, 
the  Chippe- 
iiluable  vo- 
been  given 
ributions  to 
aay  be  con- 
:udy  of  this 

the  first  dis- 
•ing  people, 
to  war  and 
successively 
tie  banks  of 
jia,  Florida, 
vania;  then 
all  remnant 
of  Missouri 
n  numerous 
r  half  a  cen- 
and  an  in- 


t 


domitable  hatred,  the  progress  of  the  white  settlements 
in  Pennsylvania,  western  Virginia,  and  especially  Ken- 
tucky. The  Shawanoes  have  declined  more  rapidly  in 
numbers*  than  any  other  tribe  of  Indians  known  to  the 
whites.  This  has  been,  and  we  suppose  justly,  attribu- 
ted to  their  wandering  habits  and  their  continual  wars. 
Although  one  of  their  villages  is  said  once  to  have  con- 
tained four  thousand  souls,  their  present  number  does 
not  exceed  eighteen  hundred.  They  have  ever  been 
considered  a  courageous,  powerful  and  faithless  race ; 
who  have  claimed  for  themselves  a  preeminence  not 
only  over  other  tribes,  but  also  over  the  whites.t  Their 
views  in  regard  to  this  superiority  were  briefly  set 
forth  by  one  of  their  chiefs  at  a  convention  held  at  fort 
Wayne,  in  1803. 

"  The  Master  of  Life,"  said  he,  «  who  was  himself  ^ 
an  Indian,  made  the  Shawanoes  before  any  other  of 
the  human  race  ;  and  they  sprang  from  his  brain :  he 
gave  them  all  the  knowledge  he  hinrtself  possessed,  and 
placed  them  upon  the  great  island,  and  all  the  other 
red  people  are  descended  from  the  Shawanoes.  After 
he  had  made  the  Shawanoes,  he  made  the  French  and 
English  out  of  his  breast,  the  Dutch  out  of  his  i^^x,  and 
the  long-knives  out  of  his  hands.  All  these  inferior 
races  of  men  he  made  white  and  placed  them  beyond 
the  stinking  lake.:}: 

"The  Shawanoes  for  many  ages  continued  to  be 
masters  of  the  continent,  using  the  knowledge  they  had 
received  from  the  Great  Spirit  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
be  pleasing  to  him,  and  to  secure  their  own  happiness. 
In  a  great  length  of  time,  however,  they  became  cor- 
rupt, and  the  Master  of  Life  told  them  that  he  would  • 
take  away  from  them  the  knowledge  which  they  pos- 
sessed, and  give  it  to  the  white  people,  to  be  restored, 
AThen  by  a  return  to  good  principles  they  would  de- 
serve it.  Many  ages  after  that,  they  saw  something 
white  approaching  their  shores;  at  first  they  took  it  for 
g  great  bird,  but  they  soon  found  it  to  be  a  monstrous 

*  John  Johnston. 

t  General  Harrison  considere  the  Shawanoes,  Delawares  and  Miamia. 

\  Atlantic  Ocean. 


M 


HISTORY    OF    THC 


rH 


ill 


canoe  filled  with  the  very  people  who  had  got  the 
knowledge  which  belonged  to  the  Shawanoes.  After 
these  white  people  landed,  they  were  not  content  with 
having  the  knowledge  which  belonged  to  the  Shawa- 
noes,  but  they  usurped  their  lands  also ;  they  preten- 
ded, indeed,  to  have  purchased  these  lands;  but  the 
very  goods  they  gave  for  them,  were  more  the  property 
of  the  Indians  than  the  white  people,  because  the 
knowledge  which  enabled  them  to  manufacture  these 
goods  actimUy  belonged  to  the  Shawanoes :  but  these 
things  will  sooi  have  an  end.  The  Master  of  Life  is 
about  ii.  restore  to  the  Shawanoes  both  their  know- 
ledge and  their  rights,  and  he  will  trample  the  long 
knives  under  his  feet." 

It  has  been  already  stated  that,  for  a  series  of  years, 
the  several,  tribes  of  Indians  residing  in  the  territory 
now  forming  the  state  of  Ohio,  made  violent  opposition 
to  the  settlement  of  the  whites,  west  of  the  Alleghanies. 
Among  the  most  formidable  of  these  were  the  Shawa- 
noes.    The  emigrants,  whether  male  or  female,  old  or 
young,  were  every  where  met  by  the  torch,  the  tom- 
ahawk and  the  scalping-knife.    The  war-cry  of  the 
savage  was  echoed  from  shore  to  shore  of  the  beautiful 
Ohio,  whose  waters  were  but  too  often  reddened  with 
the  blood  of  women  and  children.     Many  of  those  who 
escaped  the  perils  of  the  river,  and  had  reared  their  log- 
cabins  amid  the  cane-brakes  of  Kentucky,  were  doom- 
ed to  encounter  the  same  ruthless  foe,  and  fell  victims 
to  the  same  unrelenting  cruelty.     While  the  feelings 
are  shocked  at  these  dreadful  scenes  of  blood  and  car 
nage,  and  the  Indian  character  rises  in  hideous  defor 
mit'  I  Jove  the  mind,  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten  that  there 
are  "many  mitigating  circumstances  to  be  pleaded  in 
behalf  of  the  aborigines.     They  were  an  ignorant  peo 
pie,  educated  alone  for  war,  without  the  lights  of  civil- 
ization, without  the  attributes  of  mercy  shed  abroad  by 
the  spirit  of  Christianity.     They  were  contending  for  • 
their  homes  and  their  hunting  grounds — the  tombs  of 
their  forefathers— the  graves  of  their  children.     They 
saw  the  gradual,  but  certain,  encroachments  of  the 
whites  upon  their  lands ;  and  they  had  the  sagacity  to 
perceive,'  that  unless  this  mighty  wave  of  emigration  / 


I  got  tlie 
s.  After 
tent  with 
e  Shawa- 
Y  preten- 
;  but  the 

property 
lause  the 
lire  these 
but  these 
3f  Life  is 
jir  know- 

the  long 

of  years, 
1  territory 
)pposition 
ieghanies. 
e  Shawa- 
ile,  old  or 
,  the  torn, 
ry  of  the 
!  beautiful 
ened  with 
those  who 

their  log- 
ere  doom- 
ell  victims 
le  feelings 
d  and  car 
lous  defor 
that  there 
)leaded  in 
orant  peo 
ts  of  civil- 
abroad  by 
3nding  for 
3  tombs  of 
en.  They 
nts  of  the 
sagacity  to 
emigration 


»HAW;\N0E   INDIAN*. 


9S 


^ 


was  arrested,  it  would  overvvheUii  them.     They  fought 
as  savage  nature  will  fight,  with  unflinching  courage  and 
unrelenting  cruelly.     But  it  was  not  alone  this  encroach- 
ment upon  their  lands,  which  roused  their  savage  pas- 
jiions.     'i^he  wanton  aggressions  of  the  whites  oftentimci  ^ 
provoked  the  fearful  retaliation  of  the  red-man.     The 
policy  of  the  United   States  towards  the  Indians  has 
generally  been  of  a  pacific  and  benevolent  character; 
but,  in  carrying  out  that  policy,  there  have  been  many 
signal  and  inexcusable  failures.     The  hiws  enacted  by 
congress  for  the  protection  of  the  rights  of  the  Indiana, 
and  to  promote  their  comfort  and  civilization,  have,  ia 
a  great  variety  of  cases,  remained  a  dead  letter  upon 
the  statute  book.    The  agents  of  the  government  have  '^ 
often  proved  unfaithful,  at i.l  have  looked  much  more  to 
their  own  pecuniary  interests,  than  to  the  honest  execu- 
tion of  the  public  trusts  confided  to  them.     Nor  is  this 
all.     There  has  ever  been  found  upon  the  western 
frontiers,  a  band  of  unprincipled  men  who  have  set  at 
defiance  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  debauched  the 
Indians  with  ardent  spirits,  cheated  them  of  their  prop- 
erty, and  then  committed  upon  them  aggressions  marked 
with  all  the  cruelty  and  wanton  bloodshed  which  have 
distinguished  the  career  of  the  savage.     The  history  of 
these  aggressions  would  fill  a  volume.     It  is  only  ne- 
cessary to  recall  to  the  mind  of  the  reader,  the  horrible 
murder  of  the  Conestoga  Indians,  in  December  1763, 
by  some  Pennsylvanians ;  the  dark  tragedy  enacted  on 
the  banks  of  he  Muskingum,  at  a  later  period,  when 
the  Moravian  Indians,  at  the  three  villages  of  Schoen- 
brun,  Salem,  and  Gnadenhuetten,  were  first  disarmed 
and  then  deliberately  tomahawked  by  Williamson  and 
his  associates ;  the  unprovoked  murder  oi  the  family 
of  Logan ;  the  assassination  of  Bald  Eagle,  of  the  gal- 
lant and  hi^h-souled  Cornstalk,  and  his  son  Elinipsico: 
we  need  but  recall  these,  from  the  long  catalogue  of 
similar  cases,  to  satisfy  every  candid  mind,  that  rapine,  • 
cruelty  and  a  thirst  for  human  blood  are  not  peculiarly 
the  attributes  of  the  American  Indian. 

.«?'u'  ^^®'®  ^^®  ^^^^^  ^}^^^  causes  which  have  aroused 
an^i  jcept  in  activiiy,  the  warlike  passions  of  the  Indi» 
ans.    They  have  been  successively  subjected  to  English, 


III 


1^ 


\4 


84 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


^    Dutch,  French  and  Spanish  influence.     The  agents  of 
these  different  powers,  as  well  as  the  emigrants  from 
them,  either  from  interest  or  a  spirit  of  mischievous 
hostility,  have  repeatedly  p-rompted  the  Indians  to  arm 
themselves  against  the  United  States.     The  great  prin- 
ciple of  the  Indian  wars,  for  the  last  seventy  years,  has 
been  the  preservation  of  their  lands.     On  this,  the 
French,  English  and  Spanish  have  in  turn  excited  them 
to  active  resistance  against  the  expanding  settlement, 
of  the  whites.     It  was  on  the  principle  ot  recovering 
their  lands,  that  the  French  were  their  allies  between 
the  commencement  of  honilities  with  the  colonies,  ui 
1754,  and  the  peace  of  1762 ;  and  subsequently  kept 
up  an  excitement  among  them  until  the  beginning  ot 
the  revolution.     From  this  period,  the  Enghsh  took  the 
place  of  the  French,  and  instigated  them  in  a  similar 
manner.     Their  views  and  feelings  on  this  point,  may 
be  gathered  from  their  own  words : 
^       "It  was  we,"  say  the  Delawares,  Mohicans  and  their 
kindred  tribes,  "who  so  kindly  received  the  Europeans 
on  their  first  arrival  into  our  own  country.    We  took 
them  by  the  hand  and  bid  them  welcome  to  sit  down 
by  our  side,  and  live  with  us  as  brothers ;  but  how  did 
they  requite  our  kindness?     They  at  first  asked  only 
for  a  little  land,  on  which  to  raise  bread  for  their  fam- 
ilies, and  pasture  for  their  cattle,  which  we  freely  gave 
them.     They  saw  the  game  in  the  woods,  which  the 
Great  Spirit  had  given  us  for  our  subsistence,  and  they 
wanted  it  too.-  They  penetrated  into  the  woods  in 
quest  of  game,  they  discovered  spots  of  land  they  also 
wanted,  and  because  we  were  loth  to  part  with  it,  as  we 
saw  they  had  already  more  than  they  had  need  of,  they 
took  it  from  us  by  force,  and  drove  us  to  a  great  dis^ 
tance  from  our  homes."* 

It  is  matter  of  history,  that  for  a  period  of  near  sev- 
enty years  after  it  was  planted,  the  colony  of  William 
Penn  lived  in  peace  and  harmony  with  the  neighbor- 
ing Indians,  among  whom  were  bands  of  the  warlike 
Shawanoes.  It  Avas  an  observation  of  this  venerable 
and  worthy  man,  when  speaking  of  the  Indians,  that 


•  Heckewelder's  historical  account  of  th«5  Indians. 


J5IIAVVAN0E    INDIANS. 


25 


e  agents  of 
grants  from 
aischievous 
ians  to  arm 
great  prin- 
T  years,  has 
n  this,  the 
xcited  them 
settlement. 
'  recoverhig 
ies  between 
colonies,  in 
uently  kept 
beginning  of 
ish  took  the 
in  a  similar 
s  point,  may 

ins  and  their 
3  Europeans 
r.  We  took 
to  sit  down 
but  how  did 
t  asked  only 
or  their  fam- 
?  freely  gave 
s,  which  the 
Lce,  and  they 
le  woods  in 
ind  they  also 
vith  it,  as  we 
need  of,  they 
a  great  dis; 

of  near  sev- 
y  of  William 
he  neighbor- 
[■  the  warlike 
lis  venerable 
Indians,  that 


"if  you  do  not  abuse  them,  but  let  them  have  justice, 
you  will  win  them,  when  there  is  such  a  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil."  His  kind  treatment  to  them  was  re- 
paid by  friendly  offices,  both  to  himself  and  his  follow- 
ers. The  Indians  became  indeed  the  benefactors  of  the 
colonists.  When  the  latter  were  scattered  in  1682,  and 
without  shelter  or  food,  they  were  kind  and  attentive, 
and  treated  them  as  brothers.* 

Proud,  in  his  History  of  Pennsylvania,  when  ex 
plaining  the  aversion  of  the  Indians  to  Christianity, 
attributes  it  to  the  character  and  conduct  of  the  whites 
residing  near  or  among  them,  «  many  of  whom  were 
of  the  lowest  rank  and  least  informed  of  mankind,  who 
flowed  in  from  Germany,  Ireland  and  the  jails  of  Great 
Britain,  or  who  had  fled  from  the  better  inhabited  parts 
of  the  colony,  to  escape  from  justice."     The  proceed- 
ings of  the  assembly  of  Pennsylvania  show  that,  as 
early  as  1722,  an  Indian  was  barbarously  killed  by 
some  whites,  within  the  limits  of  the  province.     The 
assembly  proposed  some  measures  for  the  governor's 
consideration  in  regard  to  the  aftair;  and  mentioned 
the  repeated  requests  of  the  Indians,  that  strong  liquors 
should  not  be  carried  nor  sold  among  them.     In  a  trea- 
tise published  in  London,  in  1759,  on  the  cause  of  the 
then  existing  difficulties  between  the  Indians  and  the 
colonists,  we  find  this  paragraph.     "It  would  be  too 
shocking  to  describe  the  conduct  and  behavior  of  the 
traders,  when  among  the  Indians ;  and  endless  to  enu- 
merate the  abuses  the  Indians  received  and  bore  from 
them,  for  a   series  of  years.     Suffice   it  to  say,  that 
several  of  ttie  tribes  were,  at  last,  weary  of  bearing ; 
and,  as  these  traders  were   the   persons   who   were| 
in  some  part,  the  representatives  of  the  English  among 
the  Indians,  and  by  whom  they  were  to  judge  of  our 
manners  and  religion,  they  conceived  such  invincible 
prejudices  against  both,  particularly  our  holy  religion, 
that  when  Mr.  Sargeant,  a  gentleman  in  New  England, 
took  a  journey  in  1741,  to  the  Shawanoes  and  some 
other  tribes  living  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  offered  to 
instruct  them  in  ihe  christian  religion,  they  rejected 


/ 


dianu. 


26 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


!!  I 


his  offer  with  disdain.    Tliey  reproached  ChriPtiaiiity. 
Thev  told  him  the  traders  would  he  and  cheat.       lu 
1744,  Rovernor  Tlwmas,  in  a  message  to  the  assembly 
of  Pennsylvania,  says,  "  I  cannot  but  be  apprehensive 
that  the  Indian  trade,  as  it  is  now  carried  on,  will  in- 
volve us  in  some  fatal  quarrel  with  the  Indians.     Our 
traders,  in  defiance  of  the  laws,  carry  spirituous  liquors 
among  them,  and  take  advantage  of  iheir  mordinato 
appetite  for  it,  to  chent  them  of  their  skms,  and  their 
wampum,  which  is  their  money."     In  1753  governor 
Hamilton  appointed  Richard  Peters,  Isaac  Norris  and 
Benjamin  Franklin,  to  hold  a  treaty  with  the  Indians 
at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania.     In  the  report  ot  these  com- 
missioners they  say  :  "But  in  justice  to  these  Indians, 
and  the  promises  we  made  them,  we  cannot  close  our 
report,  without  taking  notice,  that  the  quantity  of  strong 
Uquors  sold  to  these  Indians,  in  the  places  of  their  res- 
idence, and  during  their  hunting  season,  have  increased 
to  an  inconceivable  degree,  so  as  to  keep  these  poor 
creatures  continually  under  the  f«rc«/[ /^^i^^^.^'- '^^^ 
thev  are  thereby  become  dissolute,  enfeebled  and  indo- 
lent when  sober ;  and  untractable  and  mischievous  in 
their  liquor,  always  quarreling,  and  often  murdering 
one  another'."     Smne  of  the  chiefs  at  this  treaty  said 
"these  wicked  whisky-sellers,  when  they  have  once  got 
the  Indians  in  liquor,  make  them  sell  their  very  clothes 
from  their  backs^    In  short,  if  this  practice  is  continued, 
we  must  be  inevitably  ruined  ;  we  most  earnestly,  there- 
fore, beseech  you  to  remedy  it."* 

ThL  brief  sketch  of  the  early  intercourse  between 
the  colonists  and  the  aborigines  of  tins  country,  is  not 
over-drawn,  nor  is  it  at  all  inapplicable  to  the  period 
which  has  elapsed  since  the  formation  of  the  federal 
government.  With  an  insatiable  cupidity  and  a  wan- 
fon  disregard  of  justice,  have  the  l^^^^s  a"d  ^^^^^^^^^^ 
the  Indians  been  sought  by  citizens  of  the  United  ^^^^^^^ 
The  great  agent  of  success  in  this  unho  y  business,  has 
been  ardent  spirits,  by  means  of  which  their  savage  rea- 
son has  been  overthrown,  and  thoir  bad  passions  called 
into  action.    The  class  of  reckless  ana  aesperate  cuur.v^ 


*  Proud's  History  of  Pennsylvania. 


J 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS. 


27 


riFtiaiiity. 
eat."    In 
assembly 
ireheiisive 
n,  will  in- 
ans.    Our 
>iis  liquors 
inordinate 
and  their 
)  governor 
Morris  and 
he  Indians 
these  com- 
se  Indians, 
t  close  our 
y  of  strong 
f  their  res- 
e  increased 
these  poor 
quors,  that 
I  and  indo- 
chievous  in 
murdering 
treaty  said, 
,ve  once  got 
,'ery  clothes 
5  continued, 
lestly,  there- 

•se  between 
intry,  is  not 
I  the  period 
the  federal 
and  a  wan- 
property  of 
nited  States, 
business,  has 
f  savage  rea- 
ssions  called 


ters,  described  by  Proud,  have  hung  upon  the  western 
frontiers,  for  the  purpose  of  preying  upon  the  Indians. 
If  government  itself  be  not  to  blame,  for  want  of  good 
faith  towards  this  miserable  race,  is  it  not  highly  culpa, 
hie  for  not  having,  by  the  strong  arm  of  physical  power, 
enforced  the  salutary  laws,  which  from  time  to  time, 
have  been  enacted  for  their  protection  ?  Impartial  pos- 
terity will,  we  apprehend,  answer  this  question  in  the 
affirmative. 

The  Shawanoes  engaged  in  the  war  between  the 
lu-ench  and  English,  which  commenced  in  1755,  and 
was  terminated  by  the  peace  of  lOth  February,  1763. 
In  this  contest  they  took  sides  with  the  former,  and 
rendered  them  essential  service.    They  committed  many 
depredations  on  the  frontier  settlements  of  Pennsylva- 
nia and  Virginia.     The  peace  of  1763,  between  France  V 
and  England,  did  not  terminate  the  Indian  war  against 
the  colonies.     The  Indians  were  displeased  with  the 
provisions  of  this  treaty,  especially  that  which  ceded 
the  provinces  of  Canada  to  Great  Britain.     This  dis- 
satislaction  was  increased  when  the  British  government 
began  to  build  forts  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  to  repair 
or  erect  those  of  Bedford,  Ligonier,  Pittsburg,  Detroit, 
1  resque  Isle,  St.  Joseph  and  Michilimakinac.     By  this 
movement  the  Indians  found  themselves  surrounded 
on  two  sides,  by  a  cordon  of  forts,  and  were  threatened 
With  an  extension  of  them  into  the  very  heart,  of  their 
country.     They  had  now  to  choose  whether  they  would 
remove  to  the  north  and  west,  negociate  with  the  British 
government  for  the  possession  of  their  own  land,  or  take 
up  arms  for  its  defence.      They  chose  the  last  alter- 
native; and,  a  war  of  extermination  against  the  Eng- 
lish residents  in  the  western  country,  and  even  those 
on  the  Susquehanna,  was  agreed  upon  and  speedily 
commenced.     Many  of  the  British  traders  living  amon- 
the  Indians  were  murdered;  the  forts  of  Presque  Isle, 
St.  Joseph  and  Mackinac,  were  taken,  with  a  general 
slaughter  of  their  garrisons;  while  the  forts  of  Bedford, 
l^igonier,  Niagara,  Detroit  and  Pitt,  were  barely  pre- 
__.      ,  ,0,,,  ^ciiiinj5  "iw  meir  nanus,      liie  contest  was 
continued  with  resolute  and  daring  spirit,  and  with 
much  dostniction  of  life  and  property,  until  December, 


-«MMtM 


98 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


iMh 


1^ 


!l  ill  li 


i    I 


,l> 


17()4,  when  tlie  war  was  brought  to  a  close  by  a  treaty 
at  the  German  Flats,  made  between  Sir  William  John- 
ston and  the  hostile  Indians.  Soon  after  the  conclu- 
sion of  this  peace  the  Shawanoes  became  involved  in 
a  war  with  the  Cherokees,  which  continued  until  17G8, 
wlien,  pressed  hard  by  the  united  force  of  the  former 
tribe  and  the  Delawares,  the  southern  Indians  solicit 
ed  and  obtained  a  peace.*     For  the  ensuing  six  years, 


the   Shawanoes  remained   quiet, 


living 


on  amicable 


terms  with  the  whites  on  the  frontiers  :  in  April,  1774 
however,  hostilities  between  these  parties  were  re- 
newed. 

It  IS  not  our  purpose  in  the  present  sketch  of  this, 
tribe,  to  present  a  detail  of  all  their  conflicts  with  the 
whites;  but  the  "Dunmore  war,"  (as  it  is  generally 
called,)  of  1774,  having  been  mainly  prosecuted  by 
Shawanoes,  one  of  their  distinguished  chiefs  having 
commanded  in  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant,  and  another, 
Puckecheno,  (the  father  of  Tecumseh,)  having  fallen  in 
this  engagement,  would  seem  to  render  a  full  account 
of  the  border  feuds  of  this  year,  not  out  of  place  in  the 
present  narrative. 

In  the  latter  part  of  April,  1774,  a  report  that  the 
Indians  had  stolen  some  horses,  from  the  vicinity  of 
Wheeling,  alarmed  the  whites  who  were  making  settle- 
ments on  the  Ohio  below  that  place.  For  greater  safety 
they  immediately  assembled  on  Wheeling  creek,  and 
learning  that  two  Indians  were  with  some  traders  above 
the  town,  they  went  up  the  river,  and  without  stopping 
to  enquire  as  to  their  guilt,  deliberately  put  them  to 
death.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  they  found 
a  party  of  Indians  on  the  Ohio,  below  Wheeling  creek, 
on  whom  they  fired,  and  killed  seveial.  The  Indians 
returned  the  fire  and  wounded  one  of  the  assailing 
party.  It  is  admitted  by  all  the  authorities  on  this  sub- 
ject, that  the  two  Indians  idlled  above  Wheeling,  were 
shot  by  men  under  the  command  of  colonel  Michael 
Cresap.  Mr.  Jefterson,  in  his  Notes  on  Virginia,  states 
that  the  second  attack,  in  which  one  of  Logan's  fami- 
ly is  alleged  to  ha 


ve 


IwCCii 


CLliS\J 


*  Thatcher's  Indian  Biography. 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS. 


iJ9 


by  a  treaty 
liam  John- 
the  cpnclii- 
involved  in 
until  17G8, 
the  former 
ans  solicit 
r  six  years, 
1  amicable 
^pril,  1774 
3  were   re- 

;tch  of  this, 
ts  with  the 
s  generally 
secuted  by 
iefs  having 
.nd  another, 
ng  fallen  in 
nil  account 
place  in  the 

)rt  that  the 
A^cinity  of 
iking  settle- 
eater  safety 
creek,  and 
aders  above 
)ut  stopping 
)ut  them  to 
,  they  found 
ieling  creek, 
The  Indians 
lie  assailing 
on  this  sub- 
eeling,  were 
nel  Michael 
ginia,  states 
)gan's  fami- 

■>     V-inorl«/1    VtIT 


Cresap;  and,  in  this  he  is  sustained  by  Doddridge, 
Heckewelder  and  others;  but  it  is  denied  by  Jacob. 
"  Pursuing  these  examples,"  says  Mr.  Jefferson, "  Daniel 
Greathouse  and  one  '^.'omlinson,  who  lived  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  rivir  from  the  Indians,  and  were  in 
habits  of  friendship  with  them,  collected  at  the  house  of 
Polk,  on  Cross  creek,  about  sixteen  miles  from  Baker's 
bottom,  a  party  of  thirty-two  men.  Their  object  was  to 
attack  a  hunting  party  of  Indians,  consisting  of  men, 
women  and  children,  at  the  mouth  of  Yellow  creek, 
some  distance  above  Wheeling.  They  proceeded,  and 
when  arrived  near  Baker's  bottom  they  concealed  them- 
selves, and  Greathouse  crossed  the  river  to  the  Indian 
camp.  Being  among  them  as  a  friend,  he  counted  them 
and  found  them  too  strong  for  an  open  attack  with  his 
force.  While  here,  he  was  cautioned  by  one  of  the 
women  not  to  stay,  for  that  the  Indian  men  were  drink- 
ing ;  and  having  heard  of  Cresap's  murder  of  their  re- 
latives at  Grave  creek,  were  angry ;  and  she  pressed 
him  in  a  friendly  manner  to  go  home ;  whereupon,  after 
inviting  them  to  come  over  and  drink,  he  returned  to 
Baker's,  which  was  a  tavern,  and  desired  that  when  any 
of  them  should  come  to  his  house,  he  would  give  them 
as  much  rum  as  they  could  drink.  When  this  plot  was 
ripe,  and  a  sufficient  number  of  them  had  collected  at 
Baker's  and  become  intoxicated,  he  and  his  party  fell 
on  them  and  massacred  the  whole  except  a  little  girl, 
whom  they  preserved  as  a  prisoner.  Among  them  was 
the  very  woman  who  had  saved  his  life  by  pressing 
him  to  retire  from  the  drunken  wrath  of  her  friends, 
when  he  was  playing  the  spy  in  their  camp  at  Yellow 
creek.  Either  she  herself  or  some  other  one  of  the 
murdered  women  was  the  sister  of  Logan ;  there  were 
others  of  his  relations  who  fell  at  the  same  time.  The 
party  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  upon  hearing 
the  report  of  the  guns,  became  alarmed  for  their  friends 
at  Baker's  house,  immediately  manned  two  canoes  and 
sent  them  over.  They  were  met  by  a  five  from  Great- 
house's  party,  as  they  approached  the  shore,  which  kill 
ed  some,  wounded  others,  and  obliged  the  remainde. 
to  return.  Baker  subsequently  stated,  that  six  or  eiglj 
were  wounded  and  twelve  killed. 

c  3 


30 


HIJJTOUY    OV    THJi 


I      ' 


II 


j  ill 


i'lllli'.li' 


Tiie  settlers  along  the  frontier,  satisfied  that  the  In. 
dians  would  retaliate  upon  them,  for  these  unprovoked 
aggressions,  either  returned  to  the  interior  of  the  coun- 
try,  or  gathered  in  forts,  and  made  preparation  for  re- 
sistance.    The  assembly  of  the  colony  of  Virginia  being 
then  in  session,  an  express  was  sent  to  the  seat  of  gov- 
enmient,  announcing  the  commencement  of  hostilities 
with  the  Indians,  and  asking  assistance.     In  the  month 
of  May,  the  excitement  among  the  Indians  was  still 
further  increased  by  the  murder  of  the  Delaware  sa- 
chem, "Bald  Eagle,"  and  the  wounding  of  "Silver 
Heels,"  a  popular  chief  of  the  Shawanoe  tribe.     Bald 
Eagle  was  an  aged,  harmless  man,  who  was  in  the 
habit  of  visiting  the  whites  on  the  most  friendly  terms. 
At  the  period  of  his  death,  he  was  returning  alone,  in 
his  canoe,  from  a  visit  to  the  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Kanawha.     The  individual  who  committed  the  murder, 
having  scalped  him,  placed  the  body  in  a  sitting  pos- 
ture in  the  canoe  and  suffered  it  to  float  down  the 
stream,  in  which  condition  it  was  found  by  the  Indians. 
Silver  Heels  was  returning  from  Albany  to  the  Ohio, 
having  been  to  that  city  as  the  voluntary  escort  of  some 
white  traders,  who  were  fleeing  from  the  frontiers.     He 
was  fired  upon  and  dangerously  wounded  while  cross- 
ing Big  Beaver  in  a  canoe.     Such  were  some  of  the 
causes  which  called  into  action  the  vindictive  feelings 
of  the  Indians. 

The  distinguished  Mhigo  chief,  Logan,  was  roused 
to  action  by  the  mnrder  of  his  relatives  at  Yellow  creek; 
and  in  the  course  of  the  summer,  led  some  war  parties 
against  the  whites,  and  destroyed  several  families.  The 
Earl  of  Dunmore,  then  governor  of  the  colony  of  Vir- 
ginia, made  arrangements  for  a  campaign  against  the 
Indians,  but  it  was  not  until  September,  that  his  forces 
were  brought  into  the  field.  He  ordered  three  regi- 
ments to  be  raised  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  the  com- 
mand of  which  was  given  to  general  Andrew  Lewis. 
A  similar  army  was  assembled  from  the  interior,  the 
command  of  which  the  Earl  assumed  in  person.  The 
mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha  was  the  point  at  which 
these  two  divisions  of  the  army  were  to  meet ;  from 
whence,  under  the  command  of  governor  Dunmore, 


I 


that  ihe  In. 
inprovoked 
f  the  coun- 
ition  for  re- 
rginia  being 
seat  of  gov- 
»f  hostilities 
I  tlie  montli 
ns  was  still 
elaware  sa- 
of  "Silver 
ribe.  Bald 
was  in  the 
jndly  terms, 
ig  alone,  in 
louth  of  the 
the  murder, 
sitting  pos- 
t  down  the 
the  Indians. 
o  the  Ohio, 
cort  of  some 
)ntiers.  He 
while  cross- 
some  of  the 
live  feelings 

was  roused 
ellow  creek; 

war  parties 
nilies.  The 
lony  of  Vir- 

against  the 
at  his  forces 
[  three  regi- 
me, the  corn- 
drew  Lewis. 

interior,  the 
erson.  The 
int  at  which 

meet;  from 
>r  Dunmore, 


.SHAWANOi:    INDIANS,  $] 

they  were  to  march  against  the  Indian  towns  on  th« 
north  side  of  the  Ohio,  General  Lewis'  division  amoimt 
ed  to  eleven  hundred  men,  most  of  whom  were  accus 
tomed  to  danger,  and  with  their  officers,  familiar  with 
the  modes  of  Indian  warfare.  On  the  eleventh  of  Sep- 
tember, general  Lewis  moved  from  his  camp,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Lewisburg,  and  after  a  march  of  nineteen 
days,  traversing  a  wilderness  through  the  distance  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-five  miles,  he  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  Kanawha,  and  made  an  encampment  at  that 
point.  Here  he  waited  several  days  for  the  arrival  of 
governor  Dunmore,  who,  with  the  division  under  his 
command,  was  to  have  rnet  him  at  this  place.  Disap- 
pointed in  not  hearing  from  Dunmore,  general  Lewis 
despatched  some  scouts,  over  land  to  Pittsburg,  to  ob- 
tain intelligence  of  him.  On  the  ninth  of  October,  and 
before  the  return  of  these  scouts,  an  express  from  Dun- 
more arrived  in  camp,  with  information  that  he  had 
changed  his  plan  of  operations ;  and  intended  to  march 
directly  against  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Scioto ;  and 
directing  general  Lewis  to  cross  the  Ohio  and  joiu  him. 
Preparations  were  making  to  obey  this  order,  when, 
about  sunrise,  on  the  morning  of  the  tenth,  a  largo 
body  of  Indians  was  discovered  within  a  mile  of  the 
camp.  Two  detachments  were  ordered  out  by  general 
Lewis,  to  meet  the  enemy,  one  under  the  command  of 
colonel  Charles  Lewis,  the  other  under  colonel  Flem- 
ing. The  former  marched  to  the  right,  some  distance 
from  the  Ohio,  the  latter  to  the  left,  on  the  bank  of  that 
stream.  Colonel  Lewis  had  not  proceeded  half  a  mile 
from  the  camp,  when,  soon  after  sunrise,  his  front  line 
was  vigorously  attacked  by  the  united  tribes  of  the 
Shawanoes,  Delawares,  Mingoes,  loways,  and  some 
others,  in  number  between  eight  hundred  and  one 
thousand.  At  the  commencement  of  the  attack,  colo- 
nel Lewis  received  a  wound,  which  in  the  course  of  a 
few  hours  proved  fatal :  several  of  his  men  were  killed 
at  the  same  time,  and  his  division  was  forced  to  fall 
back.  Ill  about  a  minute  after  the  attack  upon  Lewis, 
the  enemy  engaged  the  front  of  the  other  division,  on 
the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  and  in  a  short  time,  colonel  Flem- 
ing, the  leader  of  it,  was  severely  wounded,  and  com- 


tZ^"^ 


99 


HISTOnV    OF   THK 


ill 


m 


mm 
III 


Hi  ill 


pelled  to  retire  to  the  camp.  Colonel  Lewis'  division 
having  now  been  reinforced  from  the  camp,  pressed 
upon  tiie  Indians  until  they  had  fallen  back  in  a  line 
with  Fleming's  division.  During  this  time,  it  being 
now  twelve  o'clock,  the  action  continued  with  unabat- 
ed severity.  The  close  underwood,  the  ravhies  and 
fallen  trees, favored  the  Indians;  and  while  the  bravest 
of  their  warriors  fought  from  behind  these  coverts, 
others  were  throwing  their  dead  into  the  Ohio,  and 
carrying  off  their  wounded.  In  their  slow  retreat,  the 
Indians,  about  one  o'clock,  gained  a  very  advantageous 
position,  from  which  it  appeared  to  our  officers  so  dif- 
ticult  to  dislodge  them,  that  it  was  deemed  advisable  to 
maintain  the  hue  as  then  formed,  which  was  about  a 
mile  and  a  quarter  in  length.  In  this  position,  the  ac- 
tion was  continued,  with  more  or  less  severity,  until 
sundown,  when,  night  coming  on,  the  Indians  effected 
a  safe  retreat.* 

McClung,  in  his  valuable  Sketches  of  Vv^estern  Ad- 
venture, in  describing  this  sanguinary  battle,  speaks  of 
the  Indians  fighting  from  behind  a  breastwork  ;  Stone, 
in  his  Life  of  Brant,  says  the  Indians  were  forced  to 
avail  themselves  of  a  rude  breastwork  of  logs  and 
brushwood,  which  they  had  taken  the  precaution  to 
construct  for  the  occasion.  There  must  be  some  mis- 
take in  '  -"  n-d  to  this  breastwork,  as  it  is  evident  from 
the  circti.  of  the  case,  that  the  Indians  could 

not,  before  i  tie,  have  erected  one  so  near  the  camp 

without  disc.  ,  and  after  the  action  commenced,  it 

was  too  fiercely  prosecuted  for  a  rampart  of  this  kind 
to  have  been  thrown  up. 

In  regard  to  the  number  killed  on  either  side,  there 
is  nt)  very  certain  mformation.  Doddridge,  in  his 
Notes  on  the  Indian  wars,  places  the  number  of  whites 
killed  in  this  action  at  seventy-five,  and  the  wounded 
at  one  hundred  and  forty.  Campbell,  in  his  History  of 
Virginia,  says  the  number  of  whites  who  we*re  killed 
was  upwards  of  fifty,  and  that  ninety  were  wounded, 
which  is  probably  near  the  truth.  The  Indian  force 
eneaeed  in  this  action  has  been  estimated  by  different 


Official  Report,  xii.  vol.,  Niles  Register. 


/is'  division 
up,  pressed 
cl\  ill  a  line 
le,  it  being 
krith  unabat- 
ravines  and 
tiie  bravest 
ese  coverts, 
3  Ohio,  and 
'  retreat,  tlie 
Ivantageous 
ficers  so  dif- 
advisable  to 
vas  about  a 
tion,  the  ac- 
jverity,  until 
ians  effected 

i^s^estern  Ad- 
le,  speaks  of 
^ork ;  Stone, 
ire  forced  to 
of  logs  and 
trecaution  to 
e  some  mis- 
evident  from 
ndians  could 
ear  the  camp 
Dmmenced,  it 
of  this  kind 

jr  side,  there 
'idge,  in  his 
her  of  whites 
the  wounded 
lis  History  of 
)  were  killed 
re  wounded, 
Indian  force 
I  by  different 


I 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS. 


33 


writers,  at  from  eight  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  men. 
It  is  probable  that  the  number  did  not  exceed  eight 
hundred.  They  were  led  on  by  some  bold  and  warlike 
chiefs,  among  them  Cornstalk,  Logan,  Elenipsico,  Red 
Ji^agle,  and  Packishenoah,  the  last  of  whom  was  killed, 
(jornstalk,  the  chief  in  command,  was  conspicuous  for 
his  bravery,  and  animated  his  followers  in  tones  which 
rose  above  the  clash  of  arms  5  and  when  a  retreat  be- 
came necessary,  conducted  it  so  successfully  and  with 
so  much  delay,  as  to  give  his  men  an  opportunity  of 
bearing  off  all  their  wounded  and  many  of  the  killed, 
whose  bodies  were  thrown  into  the  river.  The  loss  of 
the  Indians  was  never  ascertained.  One  of  the  histo- 
rians already  quoted,  speaks  of  it  as  "  comparatively 
trifling."  The  character  of  our  troops,  many  of  whom 
were  experienced  woods-men,  familiar  with  Indian  fight- 
ing, the  long  continuance  of  tlie  action — from  the  rising 
to  the  going  down  of  the  sun — the  equality  in  numbers 
and  position  of  the  contending  parties,  the  known  usage  ^ 
of  the  Indians  in  hiding  their  dead  and  carrying  off  the 
wounded,  the  number  of  killed  found  on  the  battle 
ground  the  following  day,  and  the  severe  loss  of  the 
Virginians,  all  forbid  the  idea  that  the  loss  of  the  ene- 
my could  have  been  trifling.  The  Ohio  and  Kanawha 
rivers  afforded  them  opportunities  for  concealing  their 
dead,  while  the  plan  of  retreat, — alternately  giving 
ground  and  renewing  the  attack, — was  no  doubt  adop- 
ted for  the  purpose  of  gaining  time  to  remove  the 
wounded  across  the  Ohio.  It  is  fair  to  assume  that  the 
loss  of  the  Indians  was  not  far  short  of  that  sustained 
by  the  whites. 

Ail  circumstances  considered,  this  battle  may  be  rank- 
ed among  the  most  memorable,  and  well  contested, 
that  has  been  fought  on  this  continent.  The  leaders, 
on  either  side,  were  experienced  and  able,  the  soldiers 
.skilful  and  brave.  The  victorious  party,  if  either  could 
ibe  so  called,  had  as  little  to  boast  of  as  the  vanquished. 
It  was  alike  creditable  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  the  abo- 
riginal arms. 

After  the  Indians  had  recrossed  the  Ohio,  they  march- 
,ed  to  the  valley  of  the  Scioto,  and  encamped  on  the 
ist  side  of  that  stream,  about  eight  miles  north  of 


34 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


where  Chillicothe  now  stands.  Here  a  council  v*oa 
held  to  decide  upon  their  future  movemojits.  Corn- 
stalk, although  t  ue  to  the  interests  of  the  Shawanoes, 
was  the  friend  of  peace,  and  had  been  opposed  to  mak- 
ing the  attack  on  the  troops  of  general  Lewis.  Being 
overruled,  he  entered  into  the  action  determined  to  do 
his  duty,  lie  now  rose  in  the  council  and  demanded, 
"  What  shall  we  do  iww  ?  The  Long  Knives  are 
coming  iipon  us  by  tivo  routes.  Shall  we  turn  out 
and  fight  them  ?  "  No  reply  being  made  to  his  ques- 
tions, he  continued,  "  shall  we  kill  all  our  women  and 
children,  and  then  fight  until  we  are  all  killed  our- 
selves?" The  chiefs  were  still  silent.  Cornstalk  turn- 
ed round,  and  striking  his  tomahawk  into  the  war-post 
standing  in  the  midst  of  the  council,  said  with  his  char- 
acteristic energy  of  manner,  "  Since  you  are  not  in- 
clined to  fights  I  will  go  and  make  peaceP 

In  the  meaname  the  earl  of  Dunmore, having  procured 
boats  at  fort  Pitt,  descended  the  river  lo  Wheeling,  where 
the  army  halted  for  a  few  days,  and  then  proceeded 
down  the  river  in  about  one  hundred  canoes,  a  few 
keel  boats  and  perogues,  to  the  mouth  of  Hockhocking, 
and  from  thence  over  land,  until  the  army  had  got 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  Shawanoe  camp.     Here  the 
army  halted,  and  made  a  breastwork  of  fallen  trees, 
and  entrenchments  of  such  extent  as  to  include  about 
twelve  acres  of  ground,  with  an  enclosure  in  the  cen- 
tre containing  about  one  acre.    This  was  the  citadel, 
which  contained  the  markees  of  the  earl  and  his  supe- 
rior officers.*     Before  the  army  of  Dunmore  had  reach- 
ed Ibis  point,  he  had  been  met  by  messengers  from  the 
Indians  suing  for  peace.     General  Lewis,  in  the  mean- 
time, did  not  remain  inactive.     The  day  after  the  bat- 
tle he  proceeded  to  bury  his  dead,  and  to  throw  up  a 
rude  entrenchment  around  his  camp,  and  appoint  a 
guard  lor  the  protection  of  the  sick  and  wounded.     On 
the  succeeding  day  he  crossed  the  Ohio  with  his  army, 
and  commenced  his  march  through  a  trackless  desert, 
for  the  Shawanoe  towns  on  the  Scioto.     Governor  Dun- 
more, bavin ff  determined  to  make  neace  with  the  In- 


•  Doddridge's  Indian  Wars. 


SHAWANOK    laUlASS. 


!45 


council  T^oti 
ejits.     Corn- 

Shawanoes, 
3sed  to  iriak- 
!wis.  Being 
mined  to  do 
d  demanded, 

Knives  are 
ve  turn  out 
I  to  his  ques- 

women  and 
I  killed  our- 
)rnstalk  turn- 
the  war-post 
v'\X\\  his  char- 

are  not  in- 

^ing  procured 
ecling,  where 
Bn  proceeded 
anoes,  a  few 
Hockhocking, 
rmy  had  got 
ip.  Here  the 
f  fallen  trees, 
nclude  about 
e  in  the  cen- 
ts the  citadel, 
and  his  supe- 
>re  had  reach- 
gers  from  the 
,  in  the  mean- 
after  the  bat- 
)  throw  up  a 
nd  appoint  a 
iTounded.  On 
nih.  his  army, 
ackless  desert, 
Governor  Dun- 
!  with  the  In- 


dians, sent  an  express  to  general  Lewis,  ordering  him 
to  reii  at  across  the  Ohio.     Tlie  order  was  disregarded, 
and  the  march  continued  until  the  governor  in  person, 
met  the  general  and  peremptorily  repeated  it.     General 
l^ewis  and  his  troops,  burning  with  a  desire  of  aveng- 
ing the  Indian  massacres,  and  the  loss  of  their  brave 
companions  in  the  late  battle,  reluctantly  obeyed  the 
command  of  Dunmore  ;  and  turned  their  faces  home- 
wards.    When  the  governor  and  liis  oilicers  had  re- 
turned to  their  camp,  on  the  following  day,  the  treaty 
with  the  Indians  was  opened.     For  fear  of  treachery, 
only  eighteen  Indians  v/ere  permitted  to  attend  their 
chiefs  within  the  encampment,  and  they  were  required 
to  leave  their  arms  behind  them.     The  conference  was 
commenced  by  Cornstalk,  in  a  long,  bold  and  spirited 
[  speech,  in  which  the  white  people  were  charged  with 
being  the  authors  of  the  war,  by  their  aggressions  upon 
I  the  Indians  at  Captina  and  Yellow  creek.     Logan,  the 
I  celebrated  Mingo  chief,  refused  to  attend,  although  wil- 
I  ling  to  make  peace.     His  influence  with  the  Indians 
^  made  it  important  to  secure  his  concurrence  in  the  propo- 
sed treaty.     Dunmore  sent  a  special  messenger,  (colonel 
John  Gibson,)  to  him.     They  met  alone  in  the  woods, 
where  Logan  delivered  to  him  his  celebrated  speech. 
Colonel  Gibson  wrote  it  down,  returned  to  Dunmore's 
camp,  read  the  speech  in  the  council,  and  the  terms  of 
the  peace  were  then  agreed  on.     What  those  terms 
were,  is  not  fully  known.     No  copy  of  the  treaty  can 
now  be  found,  although  diligent  enquiry  has  been  made 
for  it.     Burk,  in  his  History  of  Virginia,  says,  that  the 
peace  was  on  "  condition  that  the  lands  on  this  side  of 
the.  Ohio  should  be  for  ever  ceded  to  the  whites ;  that 
jtheir  prisoners  should  be  delivered  up,  and  that  four 
iiostages  should  be  immediately  given  for  the  faithful 
performance   of  these   conditions."     Campbell,  ni  his 
liistory  of  Virginia,  says,  the  Indians  "agreed  to  give 
up  their  lands  on  this  side  of  the  Ohio,  and  set  at  liber- 
ty their  prisoaers."     Butler,  in  his  History  of  Kentucky, 
jremarks  that,  "  such  a  treaty  appears  at  this  day,  to  be 
Utterly  beyond  the  advantages  which  could  have  been 
claimed  from  Dunmore's  expedition."    This  is  undoubt- 
Bdly  a  reasonable  conclusion.    The  statement  in  Dod- 


36 


MlsT(tRV    OV    THK 


dndge,  that  **  on  our  port  wo  obtained  at  the  treaty  a 
cessation  of  hostilities  and  a  surrender  of  prisoners,  and 
nothing  more,"  is  most  proba])ly  the  Iruo  version  ot  the 
terms  of  this  peace.  If  an  important  grant  ot  land  had 
been  obtained  by  this  treaty,  copies  of  it  would  luivc' 
been  preserved  in  the  public  archives,  and  references^in 
subsequent  treaties,  would  have  been  made  to  it;  but 
such  seems  not  to  have  been  the  case.  The  conclusion 
must  be,  that  it  was  only  a  treaty  for  the  cessation  ol 
hostilities  and  the  surrender  of  prisoners. 

There  have  been  various  speculations  as  to  the  caus- 
es which  induced  governor  Dunmore  to  order  the  re- 
treat of  the  army  mider  general  Lewis,  before  the  tiea- 
ty  was  concluded.     However  desirous  ot  a  peace,  tlie 
presence  of  aiv  additional  force  would  only  have  ren- 
dered that  result  more  certain.     It  was  believed   by 
some  of  the  oflicevs  of  the  army,  and  the  opinion  lias 
been  held  by  several  writers  since,  that  alter  governor 
Dunmore  started  on  this  expedition,  he  was  advised  ot 
the  strong  probability  of  a  Avar  between  Great  Britam 
and  h^r  colonies;  and  that  all  his  subsequent  measures 
were  shaped  with  a  reference  to  making  the  Indians  the 
allies  of  England  in  the  expected  contest.     On  this  sup- 
position, his  conduct  in  not  joining  general  Lewis  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Kanawha,  in  risking  his  own  detach- 
ment in  the  enemy's  country,  and  in  positively  forbid- 
ding the  other  wing  of  the  army  from  unitmg  with  his, 
at  camp  Charlotte,  has  been  explained.     There   are 
certainly  plausible  ^M'ounds  for  beheving  that  governor 
Dunmore  at  this  time,  had  more  at  heart  the  interests 
of  Great  Britain  than  of  the  colonies. 

Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  this  war,  the  Shawa- 
noes  with  other  tribes  of  the  north-western  Indians, 
took'part  with  England  in  the  war  with  the  colonies: 
nor  did  the  peace  of  1783  put  an  end  to  these  hostil- 
ities  The  settlement  of  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  by  the 
whites,  was  boldly  and  perseveringly  resisted ;  nor  was 
the  tomahawk  buried  by  the  Indians,  until  alter  the 
decisive  battle  at  the  rapids  of  the  Miami  of  the  lakes, 
„„  thf>  omh  nf  Aiimist-  1794.  The  pi'oximity  ot  the 
Shawanoe  towns  to  the  Ohio  river—the  great  highway 
of  emigration  to  the  west— and  the  facility  with  whicli 


'i 


,ii 


SHAWANOE    INPIAN!^. 


•7 


the  treaty  a 
lisonerSjOnd 
cr.sion  ot  the 
;  of  land  had 
would  have 
veCereiicrs  in 
de  to  it ;  but 
le  conclusion 
cessation  ol 

;  to  the  cans- 
order  llie  \r- 
fore  th<;  trca- 
u  peace,  the 
ly  have  ren- 
belicvcd   by 
opinion  has 
fter  governor 
as  advised  of 
Great  Britain 
ent  measures 
le  Indians  the 
On  this  sup- 
;ral  Lewis  at 
}  own  detach- 
itively  forbid- 
Lting  with  his, 
.     There   are 
that  governor 
•t  the  interests 

•,  the  Shawa- 
stern  Indians, 
1  the  colonies; 
o  these  hostil- 
le  Ohio  by  the 
isted ;  nor  was 
LUitil  after  the 
li  of  the  lakes, 
Dximity  of  the 
great  highway 
ty  with  whicli 


the  infant  settlements  in  Kentucky  could  be  reached, 
rendered  this  warlike  tribe  an  annoying  and  dangerous 
neighbor.     Led  on  by  some  daring  cliiefs;  fighting  for 
their  favorite  hunting-grounds,  and  stimulated  to  action 
by  British  agents,  the  Shawanoes,  for  a  series  of  years, 
pressed  sorely  upon  the  new  settlements ;  and  are  sup- 
posed to  have  caused  the  destruction  of  more  property 
and  a  greater  number  of  lives,  than  all  the  oth'-r  tribes 
of  the  north-west  united.    They  participated  m  most  of 
the  predatory  excursions  into  Kentucky.     They  were 
present  at  the  celebrated  attack  on  Bryant's  station ; 
they  Ibught  with  their  characteristic  bravery  in  the  bat- 
tle of  the  Blue  Licks,  and  participated  in  colonel  Byrd's 
hostile  excursion  up  Licking  river,  and  the  destruction 
of  Martin's  and  Riddle's  stations.     Iq  turn,  they  were 
compelled  to  stand  on  the  defensive,  and  to  encounter 
the  gallant  Kentuckians  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio. 
Bowman's  expedition  in  1779,  to  the  waters  of  Mad 
river;  Clark's  in  1780  and  1782,  and  Logan's  in  1786, 
to  the  same  point;  Edwards'  in  1787,  to  the  head  wa- 
ters of  the  Big  Miami;  and  Todd's  in  1788,  into  the 
Scioto  valley — not  to  name  several  minor  ones — were 
I  chiefly  directed  against  the  Shawanoes ;  and  resulted 
I  in  the  destruction  of  two  or  three  of  their  principal  vil- 
I  [ages,  but  not  without  a  liercc  and  bloody  resistance. 
The  Shawanoes  were  likewise  found  in  hostility  to  the 
;  United  States,  in  the  campaigns  of  Harmar,  St.  Clair 
i  and  Wayne.     They  united  in  the  treaty  of  Greenville, 
I  in  1795 ;  and  with  the  exception  of  a  few  who  fought 
I  at  Tippecanoe,  remained  at  peace  with  this  government 
I  until  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  in  1812,  in  which  a  >^ 
considerable  body  of  them  became  the  allies  of  the  lat- 
ter power.     Some  of  the  tribe,  however,  remained  neu- 
if  ral  in  that  contest,  and  others  joined  the  United  States, 
iiind  continued  faithful  until  the  peace  of  1815. 

WEYAPIERSENWAH,  OR  BLUE  JACKET. 

In  the  campaign  of  general  Harmar,  in  the  year 
1790,  Blue  Jacket— an  influential  Shawanoe  chief— 

^vas  associated  with  the  Miami  chief.  Little  Turtle,  in 
Ihe  command  of  the  Indians.     In  the  battle  of  the  20th 

:  I) 


f 

i 
I. 


I,.im>mmm 


38 


HISTORY    or   THE 


til  i| 


\\\\\\wM 


:  I 


iillllil 


I'll 


of  August  1794,  when  the  combined  army  of  the  In- 
dians las  defeated  by  general  Wayne,  Bue  Jacket 
had  the  chief  control.     The  night  previous  to  the  bat- 
tle, while  the  Indians  were  posted  at  Presque  Isle,  a 
coincil  was  held,  composed  of  chiefs  frorn  the  Miamis, 
Potawatimies,  Delawares,  Shawanoes,  Chippewas,  Ut- 
tawas  and  Senecas— the  seven  nations  engaged  in  the 
action.     They  decided  against  the  proposition  to  attack 
general  Wayne  that  night  in  his  encampment,     i  ne 
expediency  of  meeting  him  the  next  day  then  came  up 
for  consideration.     Little  Turtle  was  opposed  to  this 
measure,  but  being  warmly  supported  by  Blue  Jacke  , 
U  was  finally  agre'ed  upon.     The  former  was  strongly 
inclined  to  peace,  and  decidedly  opposed   o  risking  a 
battle  under  the  circumstances  in  which  the  Indians 
were  then  placed.     «We  have   beaten   the  ^nemy, 
said  he,  « twice,  under  separate   commanders.     We 
cannot  expect  the  same  good  fortune  always  to  attend 
us     The  Americans  are  now  led  by  a  chief  who  never 
sleeps     The  night  and  the  day  are  alike  to  iim;  and, 
duri^ng  all  the  time  that  he  has  been  marchmg  upon 
our  villages,  notwithstanding  the  watchfulness  of  our 
young  men,  we  have  never  been  able  to  surprise  him 
Think  well  of  it.    There  is  something  whispers  me,  it 
would  be  prudent  to  listen  to  his  offers  of  peace. 
The  councUs  of  Blue  Jacket,  however,  prevaileu  ovei 
the  better  judgment  of  Little  Turtle.    The  battle  was 
fought  and  the  Indians  defeated.  ^.f..t  Wi.p 

In  the  month  of  October  followmg  this  defeat,  Blue 
Jacket  concurred  in  the  expediency  of  sueing  for  peace 
and  at  the  head  of  a  deputation  of  chiefs,  was  about 
^0  bear  a  flag  to  general  Wayne,  then  at  Greenville, 
when  the^ssion%vas  arrested  by  foreign  influence 
Governor   Simcoe,  colonel  McKee  and  the  Mohawk 
chief,  captain  John  Brant,  having  in  charge  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  Mohawks  and  Messasagoes,  arrived  at 
The  rapMs  if^e  Maumee,  and  invited  the  chiefs  of  t^.e 
combined  army  to  meet  them  at  the  mouth  of  the  Be- 
troTt  rrver,  on  (he  10th  of  October.    To  this  Blue  Jack- 
et  assented,  ior  me  purpose  ui  ucax.ug  v......  ";;;"; -7r„ 

officers  had  to  propose.     Governor  Simcoe  urged  the 
Indians  to  retain  their  hostile  attitude  towards  the  Uiii- 


.■1 
I 


J 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS. 


of  the  In- 
lue  Jacket 
to  the  bat- 
que  Isle,  a 
ne  Miamis, 
ipewas,  Ot- 
aged  in  the 
in  to  attack 
nent.     The 
jn  came  up 
ised  to  this 
Jlue  Jacket, 
ras  strongly 
to  risking  a 
the  Indians 
le  enemy," 
nders.     We 
ys  to  attend 
[  who  never 
3  him ;  and, 
rching  upon 
hiess  of  our 
urprise  him. 
ispers  me,  it 
;  of  peace." 
evailed  over 
e  battle  was 

defeat,  Blue 
ng  for  peace, 
3,  was  about 
t  Greenville, 
»n  influence. 
:he  Mohawk 
rge  one  hun- 
3s,  arrived  at 
i  chiefs  of  the 
th  of  the  De- 
lis Blue  Jack- 
lat  the  British 
oe  urged  the 
^ards  the  Uni- 


ted States.  In  referring  to  the  encroachments  of  the 
people  of  this  country  on  the  Indian  lands,  he  said, 
"Children:  I  am  still  of  the  opinion  that  the  Ohio  is 
your  right  and  title.  I  have  given  orders  to  the  com- 
mandant of  fort  Mrami  to  fire  on  the  Americans  when- 
ever they  make  their  appearance  again.  I  will  go 
down  to  Quebec,  and  lay  your  grievances  before  the 
great  man.  From  thence  they  will  be  forwarded  to 
the  king,  your  father.  Next  spring  you  will  know  the 
result  of  every  thing  what  you  and  I  will  do."  He 
urged  the  Indians  to  obtain  a  cessation  of  hostilities, 
until  the  following  spring,  when  the  English  would  be 
ready  to  attack  the  Americans,  and  by  driving  them 
back  across  the  Ohio,  restore  their  lands  to  the  Indi- 
ans.* These  counsels  delayed  the  conclusion  of  peace 
until  the  following  summer. 

Blue  Jacket  was  present  at  the  treaty  of  Greenville 
in  1795,  and  conducted  iiimself  with  moderation  and 
dignity.  Upon  his  arrival  at  that  place,  in  excuse  for 
not  having  met  general  Wayne  at  an  earlier  period,  he 
said,  "  Brother,  when  I  came  here  last  winter,  I  did  not 
mean  to  deceive  you.  What  I  promised  you  I  did  in- 
tend to  perform.  My  wish  to  conclude  a  firm  peace 
with  you  being  sincere,  my  uneasiness  has  been  great 
that  my  people  have  not  come  forward  so  soon  as  you 
could  wish,  or  might  expect.  But  you  must  not  be 
discouraged  by  these  unfavorable  appearances.  Some 
of  our  chiefs  and  warriors  are  here;  more  will  arrive 
in  a  few  days.  You  must  not,  however,  expect  to  see 
a  great  number.  Yet,  notwithstanding,  our  nation  will 
be  well  represented.  Our  hearts  are  open  and  void  of 
deceit." 

On  the  second  day  of  the  council.  Blue  Jacket  made 
^  a  remark,  showing  the  relation  subsisting  between  the 
IShawanoes  and  some  other  tribes,  to  which  allusion 
"has  been  made  aCready. 

"  Brothers :  1  hripe  you  will  not  take  amiss  my  chang- 
ing my  seat  in  this  council.  You  all  know  the  Wyan- 
dots  are  our  uncles,  and  the  Delawares  our  grand- 


?  ! 


392 


*  Amer.  State  Papers,  vol.  .5,  p.  520.     Stone's  T.ife  of  Brant,  vol.  2, 


40 


HISTORY   OF   THE 


fathPrq  and  that  the  Shawanoes  are  the  elder  brothers 
onhe^othe^^^^^^^^^  present.  It  is,  therefore,  proper 
?hat  I  should  sit  next  my  grandfathers  and  undes  J 
hope  vouneer  brothers,  you  are  all  satisfied  with  what 
yoSr'mS^^^  yesterday,  and  that  1  have  done  every 
thine  ui  mv  power  to  advise  and  support  you. 

M  "he  inclusion  of  the  treaty  Blue  Jacket  rose  and 

'""Elder  Brother,  and  you,  my  brothers,  present :  you 
see  me  now  present  myself  as  a  war-chief  to  lay  down 
hat  commisLn,  and  place  myself  in  the  rear  of  my 
village  chiefs,  who  for  the  future  will  command  me^ 
Remember,  brothers,  you  have  all  buried  your  war 
hatdiet  Your  brothers,  the  Shawanoes,  now  do  the 
same  giod  act.    We  must  think  of  war  no  rnore 

« Elder  Brother :  you  see  now  all  the   chiets  ana 
warriors  around  you,  have  jomed  in  the  good  w^^^^^^^ 
peace,  which  is  now  accomplished.     Wo  "o^  request 
vou  to  inform  our  elder  brother,  general  Washington 
of  it    and  of  the  cheerful  unanimity  which  has  maike^ 
tir' determination.     We  wish  you  to  enquire  o^^^^^^^ 
if  it  would  be  agreeable  that  two  chiefs  f^om  each  na 
tion  should  pay  him  a  visit,  and  take  him  by  the  hand , 
frv~ung^^^  brothers  have  a  strong  desire  to  see 
KealL^^         to  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  conversing 

'""'m'Se' indebted  to  major  Galloway  of  Xenia,  for 
the  following  anecdote  of  this  chief: 

u  In  the  spring  of  1800,  Blue  Jacket  and  another 
eh  ef"whosrname  I  have'forgotten,  boarded  for  sev- 

eml  weeks  at  my  father's,  in   Green  county,  at  the 

expense  of  a  company  of  Kentuckians,  who  engaged 

B^ue  Jacket,  for  a  valuable  consideration,  to  show  them 

a  "reat  si  vJr  mine,  which  tradition  said  was  known  to 

thf    kns,as  exikngon  Hed  river,  one  of  the  h^^^^^^ 

brunches  of  the  Kentucky.     A  Mr.  Jonathan  Flack 

aLent  of  this  company,  had  previously  spent  seveia 

^      months   among  the   Shawanoes,  at  their  towns  and 

hmtfg  camps',  in  order  to  induce  this  chie  /ojho- 

""       ^    .   .  ^  '..        A*  *ur.   timo  no-vpp.n  on.  ten  oi 


A  *      +U<-v 


me 


this  treat  Treasure,     xxi  mi^    ,.±^^r^  --o- • 

welve  of  tUe  company  came  from  Kentucky  omee 
Blue  Jacket  at  my  father's,  where  a  day  or  two  was 


SHAW'ANOE    INDIANS. 


41 


,x  brothers 
re,  proper 
uncles.  1 
with  what 
lone  every 

}t  rose  and 


gsent:  you 
)  lay  down 
rear  of  my 
imand  me. 

your  war 
[10  w  do  the 
more. 

chiefs  and 
od  work  of 
10  w  request 
Vashington, 
has  marked 
uire  of  him 
3m  each  na- 
ly  the  hand ; 
desire  to  see 
f  conversing 

f  Xenia,  for 

and  another 
•ded  for  sev- 
anty,  at  the 
irho  engaged 
o  show  them 
^as  known  to 
}  of  the  head 
athan  Flack, 
spent  several 
r  towns  and 
ihief  to  show 
d  on,  ten  or 
Lucky  to  meet 
^  or  two  was 


spent  in  settling  llie  terms  upon  which  he  would  ac- 
company them ;  the  crafty  chief  taking  his  own  time 
to  deliberate  on  the  offers  made  iiim,  and  rising  in  his 
demands  in  proportion  to  their  growing  eagerness  to 
possess  the  knowledge  which  was  to  bring  untold 
wealth  to  all  the  company.  At  length  the  bargain 
was  made ;  horses,  goods  and  money  were  given  as 
presents,  and  the  two  chiefs  with  their  squaws,  were 
escorted  in  triumph  to  Kentucky,  where  they  were 
feasted  and  caressed  in  the  most  flattering  manner,  and 
all  their  wants  anticipated  and  liberally  supplied.  In 
due  time  and  with  all  possible  secrecy,  they  visited  the 
region  where  this  great  mine  was  said  to  be  embowel- 
ed in  the  earth.  Here  the  wily  Shawanoe  spent  some 
time  in  seclusion,  in  order  to  humble  himself  by  fast- 
ings, purifications  and  pow-ivowings,  with  a  view  to 
propitiate  the  Great  Spirit ;  and  to  get  His  permission 
to  disclose  the  grand  secret  of  the  mine.  An  equivocal 
answer  was  all  the  response  that  was  given  to  him  in 
his  dreams ;  and,  after  many  days  of  fruitless  toil  and 
careful  research,  the  mine,  the  great  object  so  devoutly 
sought  and  wished  for,  could  not  be  found.  The  cun- 
ning Blue  Jacket,  however,  extricated  himself  with 
much  address  from  the  anticipated  vengeance  of  the 
disappointed  worshippers  of  Plutus,  by  charging  his 
want  of  success  to  his  eyes,  which  were  dimmed  by 
reason  of  his  old  age  ;  and  by  promising  to  send  his 
son  on  his  return  home,  whose  eyes  were  young  and 
good,  and  who  knew  the  desired  spot  and  would  show 
it.  The  son,  however,  never  visited  the  scene  of  his 
father's  failure ;  and  thus  ended  the  adventures  of  the 
celebrated  mining  company  of  Kentucky." 

CATAHECASSA,  OR  BLACK-HOOF. 

Among  the  celebrated  chiefs  of  the  Shawanoes, 
Black  Hoof  is  entitled  to  a  high  rank.  He  was  born 
m  Florida,  and  at  the  period  of  the  removal  of  a  por- 
tion of  that  tribe  to  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania,  was  old 
enough  to  recollect  having  bathed  in  the  salt  water. 
He  was  present  with  others  of  his  tribe,  at  the  defeat  ^ 
of  Braddock,  near  Pittsburg,  in  1755,  and  was  engaged 

D  2 


)     W 


4£ 


HISTORY    or    THE 


Illlli: 


!        ! 


hi 


H     III  >ill||l|<! 


'    ;  ill 


iiiiiii|iiili^ 


11 


in  all  the  wars  in  Ohio  from  that  time  until  the  treaty 
of  Greenville,  in   1795.     Such  was  the   sagacity  ol 
Black  Hoof  in  planning  his  military  expeditions,  and 
such  the  energy  with  which  he  executed  them,  that  he 
won  the  confidence  of  his  whole  nation,  and  was  never 
at  a  loss  for  braves  to  fight  under  his  banner.    «  He 
was  known  far  and  wide,  as  the  great  Shawanoe  war- 
rior, whose  cunning,  sagacity  and  experience  were  only 
equalled  by  the  fierce  and  desperate  bravery  with  which 
he  carried  into  operation  his  military  plans.    /-iKe  tne 
other  Shawanoe  chiefs,  he  was  the  inveterate  foe  ot  the 
white  man,  and  held  that  no  peace  should  be  made,  nor  V 
any  negociation  attempted,  except  on  the  condition  that 
the  whites  should  repass  the  mountains,  and  leave  the 
great  plains  of  the  west  to  the  sole  occupancy  of  the 

"^«^He  was  the  orator  of  his  tribe  during  the  greater 
part  of  his  long  life,  and  was  an  excellent  speaker. 
The  venerable  colonel  Johnston  of  Piqua,  to  whom  we 
are  indebted  for  much  valuable  information,  describes 
him  as  the  most  graceful  Indian  he  had  ever  seen,  and 
as  possessing  the  most  natural  and  happy  faculty  ot 
expressing  his  ideas.     He  was  well  versed  in  the  tra- 
ditions of  his  people ;  no  one  understood  better  their 
peculiar  relations  to  the  whites,  whose  settlements  were 
gradually  encroaching  on  them,  or  could  detail  with 
more  minuteness  the  wrongs  witlv  which  his  nation 
was  afflicted.     But  although  a  stern  and  uncompromis- 
ing opposition  to  the  whites  had  marked  his  policy 
through  a  series  of  forty  years,  and  nerved  his  arm  in 
a  hundred  battles,  he  became  at  length  convinced  ol 
the  madness  of  an  ineffectual  struggle  agamst  a  vastly 
superior  and  hourly  increasing  foe.     No  sooner  had  he 
satisfied  himself  of  this  truth,  than  he  acted  upon  it 
with  the  decision  which  forn>.-d  a  prominent  trait  in  hi« 
character.     The  temporary  success  of  the  Indians  ni 
several  engagements  previous  to  the  campaign  of  gen- 
eral Wayne,  had  kept  alive  their  expiring  hopes ;  but 
their  signal  defeat  by  that  gallant  officer,  convinced  the 

more  reiiectmg  oi  meu  iuuuciB  vjj.  iiiv.  ,..v,  i- .^ — ^^- 

ter  of  the  conflict.     Black  Hoof  was  among  those  who 
decided  upon  making  terms  with  the  victorious  Amen- 


SMAWANOE    INDIANS. 


48 


[he  treaty 
gacity  of 
tions,  and 
m,  that  he 
was  never 
ler.  « He 
anoe  war- 
were  only 
v^ith  which 

Like  the 
}  foe  of  the 
made,  nor  V 
dition  that 

leave  the 
incy  of  the 

the  greater 
It  speaker. 
I  whom  we 
a,  describes 
ir  seen,  and 
faculty  of 
in  the  tra- 
better  their 
ments  were 
detail  with 
L  his  nation 
compromis- 
L  his  policy 
his  arm  in 
:)nvinced  of 
inst  a  vastly 
oner  had  he 
;ted  upon  it 
It  trait  in  hi?i 
^  Indians  hi 
aign  of  gen- 
hopes;  but 
^nvinced  the 
=».vate  charac- 
ig  tbOvSe  who 
rious  Ameri- 


can commander;  and  having  signed  tlie  treaty  of  1795, 
at  Greenville,  he  continued  faithful  to  his  stipulations 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life.*  From  that  day  he 
ceased  to  be  the  enemy  of  the  white  man ;  and  as  he 
was  not  one  who  could  act  a  negative  part,  he  became 
the  firm  ally  and  friend  of  those  against  whom  his  tom- 
ahawk had  been  so  long  raised  in  vindicti^^e  animos- 
ity. He  was  their  friend,  not  from  sympathy  or  con- 
viction, but  in  obedience  to  a  necessity  which  left  no 
middle  course,  and  under  a  belief  that  submission  alone 
could  save  his  tribe  from  destruction ;  and  having  adopt- 
ed this  policy,  his  sagacity  and  sense  of  honor,  alike 
forbade  a  recurrence  either  to  open  war  or  secret  hos- 
tility. 

"  Black  Hoof  was  the  principal  chief  of  the  Shawa- 
noe  nation,  and  possessed  all  the  influence  and  autho- 
rity which  are  usually  attached  to  that  office,  at  the 
period  when  Tecumseh  and  his  brother  the  Prophet 
commenced  their  hostile  operations  against  the  United 
States.  Tecumseh  had  never  been  reconciled  to  the 
whites.  As  sagacious  and  as  brave  as  Black  Hoof,  and 
resembling  him  in  all  the  better  traits  of  savage  charac- 
ter, he  differed  widely  from  that  respectable  chief  in  his 
political  opinions.  They  were  both  patriotic  in  the 
proper  sense  of  the  word,  and  earnestly  desired  to  pre- 
serve the  remnant  of  their  tribe  from  the  destruction 
that  threatened  the  whole  Indian  race.  Black  Hoof, 
whose  long  and  victortous  career  as  a  warrior  placed 
his  courage  far  above  suspicion,  submitted  to  what  he 
beheved  inevitable,  and  endeavoured  to  evade  the  ef- 
fects of  the  storm  by  bending  beneath  its  fury ;  while 
Tecumseh,  a  younger  man,  an  influential  warrior,  but 
not  a  chief,  with  motives  equally  pubhc  spirited,  was, 
no  doubt,  unconsciously  biassed  by  personal  ambition, 
and  suflfered  his  hatred  to  the  white  man  to  master  eve- 
ry other  feeling  and  consideration.  The  one  was  a 
leader  of  ripened  fame,  who  had  reached  the  highest 
place  in  his  nation,  and  could  aflford  to  retire  from  the 
active  scenes  of  warfare ;  the  other  wfls  a  candidate 
for  higher  honors  than  he  had  yet  achieved  ;  and  both 
might  have  been  actuated  by  a  corpmon  impulse  of 


'M 


44 


HISTORY    OF    THK 


mi 


rivalry,  which  induced  them  to  espouse  different  opin^ 
ions  in  opposition  to  each  other."*  ,    ,  .    .v  • 

When  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet  embarked  m  their 
scheme  for  the  recovery  of  the  lands  as  far  south  as  the 
Ohio  river,  it  became  their  interest  as  well  as  policy  to 
enlist  Black  Hoof  in  the  enterprise;  and  every  eirort 
which  the  genius  of  the  one  and  the  cunnmg  ot  the 
other,  could  devise,  was  brought  to  bear  upon  hini. 
But  Black  Hoof  continued  faithful  to  the  treaty  which 
he  had  signed  at  Greenville,  in  1795,  and  by  prudence 
and  influence  kept  the  greater  part  of  his  tribe  from 
joining  the  standard  of  Tecumseh  or  engaging  on  the 
side  of  the  British  in  the  late  war  with  England.     In 
that  contest  he  became  the  ally  of  the  United  States, 
and  although  he  took  no  active  part  in  it,  he  exerted  a 
very  salutary  influence  over  his  tribe.     In  Januaiy, 
/ 1813,  he  visited  general  Tupper's  camp,  at  fort  McAr- 
thur,  and  while  there,  about  ten  o'clock  one  night, 
when  sitting  by  the  fire  in  company  with  the  general 
and  several   other   officers,  some  one  fired  a   pistol 
through  a  hole  in  the  wall  of  the  hut,  and  shot  Black 
Hoof  in  the  face  :  the  ball  entered  the  cheek,  glanced 
against  the  bone,  and  finally  lodged  in  his  neck :  he  fell, 
and  for  some  time  was  supposed  to  be  dead,  but  reviv- 
ed, and  afterwards  recovered  from  this  severe  wound. 
The  most  prompt  and  diligent  enqu'  y  as  to  the  author 
of  this  cruel  and  dastardly  act,  failed  to  lead  to  his  de- 
tection.    No  doubt  was  entertained  that  this  attempt 
at  assassination  was  made  by  a  white  man,  stimulated 
perhaps  by  no  better  excuse  than  the  memory  of  some 
actual  or  ideal  wrong,  inflicted  on  some  of  his  own 
race  by  an  unknown  hand  of  kindred  colour  with  that 
of  his  intended  victim.t 

Black  Hoof  was  opposed  to  polygamy,  and  to  the 
practice  of  burning  prisoners.  He  is  reported  to  have 
lived  forty  years  with  one  wife,  and  to  have  reared  a 
numerous  family  of  children,  who  both  loved  and  es- 
teemed  him.  His  disposition  was  cheerful,  and  his 
conversation  sprightly  and  agreeable.     In  stature  he 

•  History  of  the  Indian  Tribe*  of  N.  America.        f  ^^^  Galloway. 


SHAWANOK    INDIANS. 


4» 


different  opin«. 

barked  in  their 
ar  south  as  the 
ell  as  policy  to 
id  every  elFort 
cunning  of  the 
ear  upon  him. 
6  treaty  which 
id  by  prudence 

his  tribe  from 
igaging  on  the 
1  England.     In 

United  States, 
it,  he  exerted  a 
!.     In  Januaiy, 
),  at  fort  McAr- 
ock  one  night, 
rith  the  general 
1  fired  a   pistol 
and  shot  Black 
J  cheek,  glanced 
lis  neck :  he  fell, 
dead,  but  reviv- 
s  severe  wound, 
as  to  the  author 
)  lead  to  his  de- 
lat  this  attempt 
man,  stimulated 
nemory  of  some 
Dme  of  his  own 
colour  with  that 


imy, 


and  to  the 


reported  to  have 
D  have  reared  a 
h  loved  and  es- 
^leerful,  and  his 
In  stature  he 


'■I 


■\  James  Gallow»y. 


was  smal.,  benig  not  more  than  five  feet  eight  inches  m 
hevght.     He  was  favored  with  good  health,  and  unim- 
paired eye  sight  to  the  period  of  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  Wapakonatta,  in  the  year  1831,  at  the  age  of    ' 
one  hundred  and  ten  years. 

CORNSTALK. 

The  reader  of  these  pages  is  already  familiar  with 
the  name  of  Cornstalk,  "  the  mighty  Cornstalk,  sachem 
of  the  Shawanoes,  and  king  of  the  Northern  Confede- 
racy." His  conduct  in  the  memorable  battle  of  Point 
Pleasant  establishes  his  fame  as  an  able  and  gallant 
warrior.  He  carried  into  that  action  the  skill  of  an 
accomplished  general,  and  the  heroism  of  a  dauntless 
brave.  Neither  a  thirst  for  blood,  nor  the  love  of  re- 
nown, ever  prompted  him  to  arms.  He  was  the  open  "■' 
advocate  for  honorable  peace — the  avowed  and  devo- 
ted friend  of  the  whites.  But  he  loved  his  own  people 
and  the  hunting  grounds  in  which  they  roamed  ;  and, 
when  his  country's  wrongs  demanded  redress,  he  be- 
came the  « thunderbolt  of  war,"  and  avenged  the  ag- 
gressions upon  his  tribe  with  energy  and  power.  He 
fought,  however,  that  peace  might  reign ;  and,  after  the 
battle  in  which  he  so  highly  distinguished  himself,  was 
the  first  among  his  associated  chiefs  to  propose  a  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities.  While  he  mourned  over  the  inevita- 
ble doom  of  the  Indians,  he  had  the  sagacity  to  perceive 
that  all  efforts  to  avert  it,  were  not  only  useless,  but,  in 
the  end,  reacted  upon  them  with  withering  influence. 

He  has  been  justly  called  a  great  and  a  good  man. 
He  was  the  zealous  friend  of  the  Moravian  missions ; 
and  warmly  encouraged  every  effort  to  ameliorate  the 
moral  and  physical  condition  of  his  people.  "  His  no- 
ble bearing,"  says  Mr.  Withers,  «  his  generous  and  dis- 
interested attachment  to  the  colonies,  when  the  thunder 
of  British  cannon  was  reverberating  through  the  land, 
his  anxiety  to  preserve  the  frontier  of  Virginia  from 
desolation  and  death,  (the  object  of  his  visit  to  Point 
Pleasant,)  all  conspired  to  win  for  him  the  esteem  and 
respect  of  others;  while  the  untimely  and  perndious 
manner  of  his  death,  caused  a  deep  and  lasting  regret 


hi 


m 

in 


fl!   11 


I: 


46 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


h!    il!i 


W 


!'l 


i 


llli'llli:i:!lllll 


to  pervade  the  bosoms  even  of  lliose  who  were  ei.einies 
to  his  nation;  and  excited  the  just  indignation  of  all 
towards  his  inhuman  and  barbarous  murderers."  The 
strong  native  powers  of  his  mind  had  been  more  en- 
riched by  observation,  travel  and  intercourse  with  the 
whites,  than  is  usual  among  the  Indian  chiefs.  He 
was  famiharly  acquainted  with  the  topography  and 
geography  of  the  north-west,  even  beyond  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  and  possessed  an  accurate  knowledge  of 
the  various  treaties  between  the  whites  and  the  Indian 
tribes  of  this  region,  and  the  relative  rights  of  each 

party. 

At  the  treaty  with  Dunmore,  he  made  a  speech  alike 
creditable  to  his  love  of  country  and  his  sense  of  justice. 
He  pourtrayed,  in  living  colors,  the  wrongs  inflicted 
upon  the  Indians  by  the  colonists,  and  placed  in  strong 
contrast  the  former  and  present  condition  of  his  nation, 
the  one  being  happy  and  prosperous,  the  other  degraded 
and  oppressed.     He  spoke  in  a  strain  of  manly  bold- 
ness of  the  repeated  perfidy  of  the  white  people ;  and 
especially,  of  the  unblushing  dishonesty  of  the  traders ; 
and,  finally  concluded  bv  proposing  as  one  of  the  fun- 
damental provisions  of 'the  treaty,  that  no  commerce 
with  the  Indians  should  be  carried  on  for  individual 
profit,  but  that  honest  men  should  be  sent  among  them 
by  their  white  brother,  with  such  things  as  they  needed, 
to  be  exchanged,  at  a  fair  price,  for  their  skins  and  furs : 
and  still  further,  that  no  "fire-water,"  of  any  kind, 
should  be  introduced  among  them,  inasmuch  as  it  de- 
praved his  people  and  stimulated  them  to  aggressions 
upon  their  white  brethren. 

As  an  orator,  the  fame  of  Cornstalk  stands  high. 
Colonel  Benjamin  Wilson,  an  officer  in  Dunmore's  cam- 
paign, in  1774,  who  was  present  at  the  interview  (at 
camp  Charlotte)  between  the  chiefs  and  the  governor, 
in  speaking  of  Cornstalk,  says,  "when  he  arose,  he  was 
in  no  wise  confused  or  daunted,  but  spoke  in  a  distinct 
and  audible  voice,  without  stammering  or  repetition,  J 
and  with  peculiar  emphasis.  His  looks,  while  address-  '\ 
ing  Dunmore,  were  truly  grand  and  majestic,  yet  grace-  J 
ful  and  attractive.  I  have  heard  the  fixst  orators  in 
Virginia,— Patrick  Henry  and  Richard  Heniy  Lee,— 


"4 


t  I     II 


re  ei.einies 
itioii  of  all 


ns. 


)) 


The 

L  more  en- 
le  with  the 
;hiefs.  He 
raphy  and 
the  Missis- 
)wledge  of 
the  Indian 
Its  of  each 

peech  aUke 
e  of  justice, 
gs  inflicted 
3d  in  strong 
■  his  nation, 
sr  degraded 
Tianly  bold- 
)eople;  and 
the  traders ; 
of  the  fun- 
)  commerce 
r  individual 
imong  them 
hey  needed, 
ns  and  furs : 
f  any  kind, 
ach  as  it  de- 
aggressions 

stands  high, 
more's  cam- 
nterview  (at 
le  governor, 
irose,  he  was 
in  a  distinct 
)r  repetition, 
hile  address- 
ic,  yet  grace- 
st  orators  in 
[enry  Lee, — 


8HAVVAN0E    INDIANS.  Wf 

but  never  have  I  heard  one  wliose  powers  of  deUvery 
surpassed  those  of  Cornstalk.'^ 

The  treaty  at  camp  Charlotte  did  not  bring  much 
repose  to  the  frontier.     In  the  course  of  the  two  years 
succeeding  it,newdifliculties  arose  between  the  Indians 
and  the  inhabitants  of  western  Virginia.     Early  in  the  '^ 
spring  of  1777,  several  tribes  joined  in  an  offensive 
alliance  against  the  latter.     Cornstalk  exerted  all  his 
influence  to  arrest  it,  but  in  vain.     Sincerely  desirous 
of  averting  war,  he  resolved  to  communicate  this  con- 
dition of  affairs  to  the  Virginians,  in  the  hope  that  they 
might  dissipate  the  impending  war-cloud.    This  infor- 
mation he  determined  to  give  in  person.    Taking  with 
him  Red  Hawk,  and  one  other  Indian,  he  went  secret- 
ly to  the  fort  at  Point  Pleasant,  with  a  flag  of  peace, 
and  presented  himself  to  the  commander  of  that  post 
After  stating  to  him  the  object  of  the  mission,  and 
fully  explaining  the  situation  of  the  confederate  tribes 
and  their  contemplated  attack  upon  the  whites,  he  re- 
marked, in  regard  to  his  own,  "the  current  sets  (with 
the  Indians,)  so  strong  against  the  Americans,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  agency  of  the  British,  that  they  (the 
Shawanoes)  will  float  with  it,  I  fear,  in  spite  of  all  my 
exertions."     No  sooner  had  this  information  been  given 
to  the  commander,  captain  Matthew  Arbuckle,  than  he 
decided,  in  violation  of  all  good  faith,  to  detain  the  two 
chiefs  as  hostages,  to  prevent  the  meditated  attack  on 
the  settlements.     This  he  did ;  and  immediately  gave 
information  to  the  executive  of  Virginia,  who  ordered 
additional  troops  to  the  frontier.    In  the  mean  time, 
the  ofiicers  in  tne  fort  held  frequent  conversations  with 
Cornstalk,  whose   intelligence  equally  surprised  and 
pleased  them.     He  took  pleasure  in  giving  them  minute 
descriptions  of  his  country,  its  rivers,  prairies  and  lakes, 
its  game  and  other  productions.     One  day,  as  he  was 
drawing  a  rude  map  on  the  floor,  for  the  gratification 
of  those  present,  a  call  was  heard  from  the  opposite 
shore  of  the  Ohio,  which  he  at  once  recognized  as  the 
voice  of  his  favorite  son,  Elenipsico,  a  noble  minded 
youth,  who  had  fought  by  his  father's  side  in  the  battl6 
of  Point  PleasanL     At  the  request  of  Gornstalki  EleniD- 
sico  crossed  over  the  river,  and  joined  him  in  the  fort, 


( 

.i  9 


4R 


HISTORY    OF    THB 


where  they  had  an  utt'ectionate  and  touching  meeting. 
The  son  had  become  uneasy  at  his  lather's  long  ab- 
sence ;  and  regardless  of  danger,  had  visited  this  place 
in  search  of  him.     It  happened  on  the  following  day 
that  two  white  men,  belonging  to  the  fort,  crossed  over 
the  Kanawha,  upon  a  hunting  excursion ;  as  they  were 
returning  to  their  boat,  they  were  fired  upon  by  some 
Indians  in  ambush,  and  one  of  the  himters,  named  Gil- 
more,  was  killed,  the  other  making  hi»»  escape.    The 
news  of  this  murder  having  reached  the  fort,  a  party 
of  captain  HalFs  men  crossed  the  river  and  brought  in 
the  body  of  Gilmore ;  whereupon  the  cry  was  raised, 
« let  us  go  and  kill  the  Indians  in  the  fort."     An  in- 
furiated gang,  with  captain  Hall  at  their  head,  instantly 
started,  and  in  despite  of  all  remonstrance,  and  the  most 
solemn  assurances  that  the  murderers  of  Gilmore  had 
no  connection  whatever  with  the  imprisoned  chiefs, 
they  persisted  in  their  cruel  and  bloody  purpose,  swear- 
ing, with  guns  in  their  hands,  that  they  would  shoot 
any  one  who  attempted  to  oppose  them.     In  the  mean 
time,  the  mterpreter's  wife,  who  had  been  a  captive 
among  ihe  Indians,  and  had  a  feeling  of  regard  for 
Cornstf.lk  and  his  companions,  perceiving  their  danger, 
ran  to  the  cabin  to  tell  them  of  it ;  and  to  let  them  know 
that  Hall  and  his  party  charged  Elenipsico  with  having 
brought  with  him  the  Indians  who  had  killed  Gilmore. 
This,  however,  the  youthful  chief  denied  most  posi- 
tively, asserting  that  he  came  unattended  by  any  one, 
and  for  the  single  purpose  of  learning  the  fate  of  his 
father.    At  this  time  captain  Hall  md  his  followers,  in 
despite  of  the  remonstance  and  command  of  captain 
Arbuckl«3,  were  approaching  the  cabin  of  the  prisoners. 
For  a  moment,  Elenipsico  manifested  some  agitation. 
His  father  spoke  and  encouraged  him  to  be  calm,  saying, 
«my  son,  the  Great  Spirit  has  seen  fit  that  we  should 
die  together,  and  has  sent  you  here  to  that  end.     It  is 
his  will,  and  let  us  submit ;  it  is  all  for  the  best ;"  and 
turning  round  to  meet  the  assassins  at  the  door,  was 
shot  with  seven  bullets,  and  expired  without  a  groan. 
The  momentary  agitation  of  Elenipsico  passed  off,  and 
keeping  his  seat,  he  met  his  death  with  stern  and  iwjro- 
ic  apathy.    Red  Hawk  manifested  less  resolution,  and 


SHAWANOK    INDIANS. 


'M 


g  meeting, 
s  long  ab- 
l  this  place 
Dwing  day 
ossed  over 

I  they  were 
in  by  some 
aamed  Gil- 
;ape.  The 
Dit,  a  party 
brought  in 
vas  raised, 
."  An  in- 
d,  instantly 
id  the  most 
ilmore  had 
ned  chiefs, 
ose,  swear- 
ould  shoot 

II  the  mean 

I  a  captive 
regard  for 

leir  danger, 
them  know 
vith  having 
3d  Gilraore. 
most  posi- 
3y  any  one, 

fate  of  his 
bllowers,  in 

of  captain 
e  prison^^rs. 
e  agitation, 
aim,  saying, 
;  we  should 

end.     It  is 

best ;"  and 
e  door,  was 
)ut  a  groan. 
5sed  off,  and 

II  and  iiero- 
olution,  and 


■I 


made  a  fruitless  etfort  to  conceal  himself  in  the  chim- 
ney of  the  cabin.  He  was  discovered  and  instantly 
shot.  The  fourth  Indian  was  then  slowly  and  cruelly 
put  to  death.  Thus  terminated  this  dark  and  fearful 
tragedy— leaving  a  foul  blot  on  the  page  of  history, 
which  all  the  waters  of  the  beautiful  Ohio,  on  whose 
banks  it  was  perpetrated,  can  never  wash  out,  and  the 
remembrance  of  which  will  long  outlive  the  heroic  and 
hapless  nation  which  gave  birth  to  the  noble  Cornstalk 

SpeMICA-LawbA THE  HlOH  HoRN, 

generally  known  as 

CAPTAIN  LOGAN 

In  September,  17g6,  captain  Benjamin  Logan,  of 
Kentucky,  led  an  expedition  of  mounted  men  from  that  y 
state  against  the  Shawanoes,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Ohio,  and  destroyed  the  Machachac  towns  on  the  wa- 
ters of  Mad  river.     Most  of  the  warriors  happened  to 
be  absent  from  the  villages  when  the  invading  army 
reached  them.     About  thirty  persons  were  captured 
chiefly  women  and  children.     After  the  slight  resistance 
which  was  made  by  the  Indians  had  ceased,  captain 
Logan's  men  were  both  annoyed  and  endangered  by 
some  arrows,  shot  among  them  by  an  invisible  but  not 
unpractised  hand.     After  considerable  search,  in  the 
tall  grass  around  the  camp,  an  Indian  youth  was  dis- 
covered, who  with  his  bow  and  a  quiver-of  arrows 
had  concealed  himself  in  a  position  from  which  he  could 
successfully  throw  his  darts  agauist  the  enemy  •  that 
intrepid  boy  was  Logan,  the  subject  of  the  present 
b.ographical  sketch.     He  likewise  was  made  prisoner 
and  with  the  others  carried  to  Kentucky.     The  com- 
mander of  the  expedition  was  so  much  pleased  whh 
he   bold  conduct   of  this  boy,   that  upon   returning 
home  he  made  him  a  member  of  his  own  family,  in 
which  he  resided  some  years,  until  at  length,  at  a  coun-  • 
cil  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners,  held  on  the  bank  of 
the  Ohio,  opposite  to  Maysville,  between  some  Shaw- 

...  ^,,,.^,^  ^,,^       uupuiaiion  01  citizens  from  Ken- 
tucky, our  young  hero  was  permitted  to  return  to  his 

£ 


'if] 

I! 


M 


HISTORY   or    THU 


II!!! 


Ml  I  I!  I 


I  ill  li' 


M 


native  land.  He  was  ever  afterwards  known  by  tlie 
name  of  Logan. 

Of  the  family  of  this  distinguished  individual,  we 
have  been  enabled  to  glean  but  few  particulars.  In 
M'Afee's  History  of  the  Late  War,  and  in  Butler's  His- 
tory of  Kentucky,  he  is  represented  to  have  been  tlie 
son  of  Tecumseh's  sister :  this  is  manifestly  an  error ; 
there  was  no  relationship  between  them,  either  by 
blood  or  marriage. 

Logan  was  a  member  of  the  Machachac  tribe  of  the 
Shawunoes,  and  was  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  civil 
'  chief  on  account  of  his  many  estimable  qualities,  both 
intellectual  and  moral.  He  was  a  married  man,  and 
left  behind  him  a  wife  and  several  children — requesting 
on  his  death  bed  that  they  might  be  sent  into  Kentucky, 
and  placed  under  the  patronage  of  his  friend,  colonel 
Hardin,  who  had  married  the  daughter  of  his  early 
patron,  captain  Logan.  This,  however,  was  not  done, 
owing  to  objections  interposed  by  the  wife.  The  per- 
sonal appearance  of  Logan  was  remarkably  good,  be- 
ing six  feet  in  height,  finely  formed  and  weighing  near 
two  hundred  pounds. 

From  the  period  of  his  resi  lence  in  Kentucky,  to 
that  of  his  death,  Logan  was  the  unwavering  friend 
of  the  United  States.  He  was  extensively  and  favora- 
bly known  on  the  frontier  of  Ohio,  and  the  Indiana 
^territory;  and,  immediately  after  the  declaration  of 
war  agamst  England  in  1812,  he  joined  the  American 
service.  He  acted  as  one  of  the  guides  of  general 
Hull's  army  to  Detroit ;  and,  prior  to  the  actual  invest- 
ment of  fort  Wayne, — an  account  of  which  will  be 
presently  given — he  was  employed  by  the  Indian  agent 
at  Piqua,  on  an  important  and  delicate  mission.  The 
Indians  around  fort  Wayne  were  giving  indications 
of  a  disposition  to  abandon  their  neutrality.  This 
rendered  it  expedient  that  the  women  and  children 
then  at  that  point,  should  be  removed  within  the  in- 
habited portions  of  Ohio.  John  Johnston,  the  Indi- 
an agent  at  Piqua,  knowing  Logan  intimately,  and 
having  great  confidence  in  his  judgment  as  well  i  s  his 
fidelity,  selected  him  to  perform  this  duty.  He  was 
accordingly  furnished  with  a  letter  to  the  commandant 


fi^as  ] 


riowu  by  tlie 

[dividual,  we 
rticulars.  In 
Butler's  His- 
ive  beon  the 
;tly  an  error ; 
m,  either  by 

ic  tribe  of  the 
.nk  of  a  civil 
luaUties,  both 
ed  man,  and 
1 — requesting 
ito  Kentucky, 
riend,  colonel 
'  of  his  early 
was  not  done, 
fe.  The  per- 
ibly  good,  be- 
veighing  near 

Kentucky,  to 
ivering  friend 
[y  and  favora- 
1  the  Indiana 
leclaration  of 
the  American 
es  of  general 
actual  invest- 
vhich  will  be 
!  Indian  agent 
nission.  The 
ig  indications 
Ltvality.  This 
and  children 
within  the  in- 
ton,  the  Indi- 
itimately,  and 
as  well  I  s  his 
nty.  He  was 
}  commandant 


SHAWANOK    INDIANS.  5, 

upon  the  disc,e(^^u  a„5  ome^nri^^'^M  '""^""""l^y  '^'X 
fronton  Way^  nwe,;;  ^T  '"'"'^'"^  '""«^  '"'"»« 

»po,  Sly  of  tfl'^onrt,''  ,'""''  "'«  dange  ous  re- 
until  it  reXd  I?q:!r  ""'  ""^  ''""^  '^'''  ^o"  ^-V"' 

Sr,^!d''^;'|rS-°^  aTtr^,„eSo?th'e  ^^'To^ 

n  the  Ih  Us  of  Oh  o^  iff  ^"''  "'"'•'  ""''°"8''  "^  ^^i  h- 

to  ti.e  pete  and    nf'^,'^';?''''''''''""  ^«^  aH-important 

Havi„/prb"umT^:  a:  u  r  ^iiHs^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

scrinfion  n  •  rf  ^"^^  *^"^®'  including  every  de 

i^criptionot  persons,  amounted  to  less  thnn  ZJu 

His  liemenan.^  f'^'P  o'-S /^^i  tpfefS- 

^as  directed  towards  for?  Wavne  ^fc'  ^^"  "Z""^ 
ever,  almost  in  a  ««,.  „>  j-  '^  •  "^5"  ■«"»'e,  how- 
fesled  bw  l^ttl^ardoT^  »/  disorganization,  and  man i- 

*crceiving  this  stSe  of  th,„™^  T"  *'^  ""^^  duty. 
l>'as  in  imminent  1„„^'  ""'*  ^'^^'^  "'^t  the  fort 
*»'■"■       'i'.™'"«ut  danger,  a  vonna  m.«    „«... • 

V7ii  er,  ot  Lmcmnati,  determmed  upon  making 


52 


HISTORY   OP   THE 


an  effort  to  reach  the  garrison.     Young  Ohver  was  a 
resident  of  fort  Wayne,  and  was  on  his  return  from  a 
visit  to  Cincinnati  when,  at  Piqua,  he  learned  that  the 
place  was  besieged.     He  immediately  jomed  a  rille 
company  of  the  Ohio  militia;  but  seemg   the   taidy 
movements  of  the  troops,  in  advancmg  to  the  reliet  ot 
the  fort,  he  resolved  in  the  first  place  to  return  with  all 
possible  expedition,  to  Cincinnati,  for  the  purpose  ot 
inducing  colonel  Wells,  of  the  17th  U.  S.  infantry,  to 
march  his  regiment  to  the  relief  of  the  fort;  and,  in  the 
second  place,  to  make  an  effort  to  reach  it  in  person, 
that  the  garrison  might  be  encouraged  to  hold  out  until 
reinforcements  should  arrive.     When   Ohver   arrived 
in  Cincinnati,  he  found  that  general  Harrison  had  just 
crossed  the  Ohio,  from  Kentucky,  and  assumed  the 
command  of  the  troops  composing  the  north-western 
army.    He  called  upon  the  general,  stated  the  condition 
of  things  on  the  frontier,  and  avowed  his  intention  ot 
passing  into  the  fort  in  advance  of  the  reinforcements. 
The  eeneral  informed  him  that  the  troops  then  at  Cin- 
cinnati would  be  put  in  motion  that  day,  and  marched 
with  all  practicable  expedition  to  the  invested  point. 
This  was  on  the  27th  of  August;  on  the  31st  Oliver 
overtook  the   Ohio  militia  at  the   St.   Mary's  river. 
Here  he  learned  that  Adrian  and  Shane,  two  experi- 
enced scouts,  had  been  sent  in  the  direction  of  lort 
Wayne,  and  had  returned  with  information  that  the 
hostile  Indians  were  in  great  force  on  the  route  to  that 
place.     On  the  next  day,  general  Thomas  Worthington, 
of  Chillicothe,  who  was  then  on  the  frontier  as  Indian 
commissioner,  seeing  the  great  importance  of  commu- 
nicating with  the  garrison,  determined  to  unite  with 
Oliver  in  the  attempt  to  reach  it.     These  two  enterpn 
sing  individuals  induced  sixty-eight  of  the  Ohio  troops 
and  sixteen  Shawanoe  Indians,  among  whom  was  Lo- 
gan, to   accompany  them.     They   marched  eighteen 
miles  that  day,  and  camped  for  the  night  at  Shane  s 

crossin*"". 

Next  morning  they  again  moved  forward,  but  in  the 
course  of  tlie  day,  some  miny-siJi.  ui  tucn  i^cxiy  ...-.if- 
doned  the  hazardous  enterprise,  and  returned  to  the 
main  army.     The  remainder  pursued  their  route,  and 


i 


i 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS, 


$$ 


rev  was  a 
rn  from  a 
i  that  the 
d  a  rifle 
he   tardy 
3  relief  of 
n  with  all 
urpose  of 
ifantry,  to 
nd,  in  the 
in  person. 
I  out  uiitil 
r   arrived 
n  had  just 
umed  the 
:h-western 
1  condition 
itention  of 
orcements. 
len  at  Cin- 
d  inarched 
sted  point. 
31st  Oliver 
ry's  river, 
kvo  experi- 
ion  of  fort 
n  that  the 
aite  to  that 
orthington, 
r  as  Indian 
of  coinmu- 
unite  with 
TO  enterpri 
Dhio  troops 
m  was  Lo- 
d  eighteen 
at  Shane's 

,  but  in  the 

r\art-XT    €»r>QP-  3 

pu.it  y    tit'O!-  -^ 

rned  to  the 
■  route,  and 


encamped  tliat  evening  within  twenty-four  miles  of  fort 
Wayne.     As  the  party  was  not  strong  enough  in  its 
present  condition  to  encounter  the  besieging  enemy, 
general  Worthington  was  very  reluctantly  induced  to 
remain  at  this  point,  while  Oliver,  with  Logan,  captain 
Johnny  and  Brighthorn,  should  make  an  effort  to  reach 
the  fort.     Being  well  armed  and  mounted,  tliey  started 
lit  daybreak  next  morning  upon  this  daring  adventure. 
Proceeding  witli  great  caution,  they  came  within  five  # 
miles  of  the  fort,  before  they  observed  any  fresh  Indian 
signs.     At  this  point  the  keen  eye  of  Logan  discovered 
the  cunning  strategy  of  the  enemy :  for  the  purpose  of 
<'oncealing  their  bodies,  they  had  dug  holes  on  either 
side  of  the  road,  alternately,  at  such  distances  as  to  se- 
cure them  from  their  own  fire  :  these  were  intended  for 
night  watching,  in  order  to  cut  off  all  communication 
with  the  fort.     Here  the  party  deemed  it  advisable  to 
leave  the  main  road,  and  strike  across  the  country  to 
the  Maumee  river,  which  was  reached  in  safety  at  a 
point  one  and  a  half  miles  below  the  fort.    Having  tied 
their  horses  in  a  thicicet,  the  party  proceeded  cautiously 
on  foot,  to  ascertain  whether  our  troops  or  the  Indians 
were  in  possession  of  the  fort.     Having  satisfied  them- 
selves on  this  point,  they  returned,  remounted   their 
horses,  and  taking  the  main  road,  moved  rapidly  to  the 
fort.     Upon  reaching  the  gate  of  the  esplanade,  they 
found  it  locked,  and  were  thus  compelled  to  pass  down 
the  river  bank,  and  then  ascend  it  at  the  northern  gate. 
They  were  favored  in  doing  so  by  the  withdrawal  of 
the  hostile  Indians  from  this  point,  in  carrying  out  a 
plan,  then  on  the  point  of  consummation,  for  taking  the 
fort  by  an  ingenious  stratagem.     For  several  days  pre- 
vious to  this  time,  the  hostile  chiefs  under  a  flag  of 
truce,  had  been  holding  intercourse  with  the  garrison : 
and  had,  it  is  supposed,  discovered  the  unsoldier-Uke 
condition  of  the  commander.     They  had  accordingly 
arranged   their  warriors  in  a  semicircle,  on  the  west 
and  south  sides  of  the  fort,  and  at  no  great  distance 
from  it.     Five  of  the  chiefs,  under  pretence  of  treating 
with  the  oflicers  of  the  garrison,  were  to  pass  into  the 
fort,  and  when  in  coimcil  were  to  assassinate  the  subal- 
tern officers  with  pistols  and  knives,  concealed  under 

E  2 


-m 


■''''A 


99-. 


HlSTOllT    OF    THi: 


their  blankets;  and  then  to  seize  captain  Khea,  who,  in 
his  trepidation,  and  under  a  promise  of  personal  safety, 
would,  they  anticipated,  order  the  gates  of  the  fort  to 
be   thrown  open  for  the  admission  of  the  besiegers. 
The  plan,  thus  arranged,  was  in  the  act  of  being  car- 
ried into  execution  at  the  moment  when  Oliver  and 
his  companions  reached  the  gate.     In  speaking  ot  the 
opportune   approach  of  this  party,  lieutenant   Curtis 
says,  «  the  safe  arrival  of  Mr.  Oliver  at  that  particular 
juncture,  may  justly  be  considered  most  miraculous. 
One  hour  sooner  or  one  later,  would  no  doubt  have 
been  inevitable  destruction  both  to  himself  and  escort : 
the  parties  of  Indians  who  had  been  detached  to  guard 
the  loads  and  pasjies  in  different  directions,  having  all 
at  that  moment  been  called  in,  to  aid  in  carrying  the 
fort.     It  is  generally  beUeved  by  those  acquainted  with 
the  circumstances,  that  not  one  hour,  for  eight  days  and 
nights  preceding  or  following  the  hour  in  which  Mr. 
Oliver  arrived,  would  have  afforded  an  opportunity  ot 
any  probable  safety."     Winnemac,  Five  Medals,  and 
three  other  hostile  chiefs,  bearing  the  flag  under  which 
they  were  to  gain  admittance  to  the  fort  to  carry  out 
their  treacherous  intentions,  were  surprised  by  sud- 
denly meeting  at  the  gate,  Oliver  and  his  companions. 
Coming  from  different  directions  and  screened  by  the 
angles  of  the  fort,  the  parties  were  not  visible  to  each 
other  until  both  were  near  the  gate.    On  meeting,  they 
shook  hands,  but  it  was  apparent  that  Winnemac  was 
greatly  disconcerted ;  he  immediately  wheeled  and  re- 
turned to  his  camp,  satisfied  that  this  accession  of 
strength  to  the  garrison— the  forerunner,  in  all  probabil- 
ity, of  a  much  larger  force— had  defeated  his  scheme. 
The  others  of  his  party  entered  the  fort,  and  remained 
some  little  time,  during  which  they  were  given  to  un- 
derstand that  Logan  and  his  two  Indian  companions 
were  to  remain  with  the  garrison.    Oliver,  in  the  mean 
time,  having  written  a  hasty  letter,  describing  the  con- 
dition of  the  fort,  to  general  Worthington ;  and  the  In- 
dians being  equipped  with  new  rifles  from  the  public 
_x *T ^-^^^^^r^A  ti\  loavo  th*>  fnrf  without  delav. 

Fortunately  their  movements  were  not  observed  by  the 
enemy,  until  they  had  actually  started  from  the  garn- 


h    H 


11 


SHAWANOK    INDIANS. 


fliS 


who,  in 

il  safety, 
e  fovt  to 
esiegers. 
iing  car- 
iver  and 
g  of  the 
Lt   Curtis 
(articular 
raculous. 
L»bt  have 
1  escort : 
to  guard 
aving  all 
•ying  the 
ited  with 
days  and 
hich  Mr. 
tunity  of 
dais,  and 
ler  which 
carry  out 

by  sud- 
npanions. 
2d  by  the 
e  to  each 
:ting,  they 
emac  was 
d  and  re- 
lession  of 

probab  il- 
ls scheme, 
remained 
\ren  to  un- 
)mpanions 
the  mean 
y  the  con- 
nd  the  In- 
the  public 
out  delay, 
ired  by  the 
the  garri- 


son gate.    Tliey  now  put  spurs  to  their  horses  and  dash- 
ed off  at  full  speed.    The  hostile  Indians  were  instantly 
in  motion  to  intercept  them ;  the  race  was  a  severe  and 
perilous  one,  but  Logan  and  his  companions  cleared 
the  enemy's  line  in  safety,  and  this  accomplished,  his 
loud  shout  of  triumph  rose  high  in  the  air,  and  fell  like 
music  upon  the  ears  of  the  beleaguered  garrison.     The 
party  reached  general  Worthington's  camp  early  the 
next   morning,  and  delivered  Oliver's  letter  to  him. 
Notwithstanding  the  perilous  condition  of  the  garrison, 
however,  the  Ohio  troops  delayed  moving  for  its  relief, 
until  they  were  overtaken  by  general  Harrison,  who, 
with  his  reinforcements,  was  unable  to  reach  the  fort 
until  the  twelfth.     In  the  mean  time  the  Indians  kept 
up  an  incessant  firing,  day  and  night,  upon  the  fort, 
killing  on  one  occasion,  two  of  the  garrison  who  pass- 
ed out  of  the  gate  on  police  duty.     Several  times  the 
buildings  of  the  fort  were  set  on  fire  by  the  burning 
arrows  which  were  shot  upon  them,  but  by  the  vigi- 
lance of  the  garrisoft  in  extinguishing  the 'flames,'' a 
general  conflagration  was  prevented.     Some  days  after 
the  arrival  of  Oliver,  the  Indians  appeared  to  be  mak- 
ing preparations  for  some  uncommon  movement,  and 
one  afternoon,  just  before  night-fall,  succeeded  in  get- 
ting possession  of  one  of  the  trading  houses  standing 
near  the  fort.     From  this  point  they  demanded  a  sur^ 
render  of  the  garrison,  under  a  promise  of  protection  ; 
and  with  a  threat  of  extermination  if  they  were  com- 
pelled to  carry  the  fort  by  storm  :  they  alleged,  further, 
that  they  had  just  been  reinforced  by  a  large  numbei 
of  warriors,  some  pieces  of  British  cannon,  and  artille- 
rists to  man  them.     Their  demand  being  promptly  re- 
fused, they  immediately  closed  in  upon  the  fort,  yelling 
hideously,  firing  their  guns  and  also  a  couple  of  can- 
non.    Every  man  in  the  fort  capable  of  doing  duty, 
now  stood  at  his  post,  having  several  stands  of  loaded 
arms  by  his  side.     They  were  directed  by  the  acting 
lieutenant,  Curtis,*   not  to  fire  until  the  Indians  had 
approached  within  twenty-five  paces  of  the  fort ;  the 


•  Captain  Rhea,  by  common  consent,  was  suspended  for  incapacity, 
and  lieutenant  Ostmnder  was  on  the  sick  Hrt.  ^        ' 


56 


HISTORY   OF    THE 


tire  was  at  length  opened  upon  the  entire  Indian  hues, 
and  in  a  manner  so  destructive,  that  in  twenty  minutes 
the  enemy  retreated  with  the  loss  of  eighteen  of  their 
warriors,  killed.  It  was  discovered,  subsequently,  that 
the  cannon  used  on  this  occasion  by  the  Indians,  had 
been  made  of  wood  by  some  British  traders  who  were 
with  them ;  one  of  the  pieces  burst  upon  the  first,  and 
the  other  on  the  second,  tire. 

The  day  before  general  Harrison  reached  this  place, 
the  T  idians  concentrated  at  a  swamp,  five  miles  south 
of  the  fort,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  him  battle ;  but 
after  reconnoitering  his  force,  and  finding  it  too  strong 
for  them,  they  fell  back,  passing  by  the  fort  ni  great 
disorder,  in  the  hope,  it  is  supposed,  of  drawmg  out  the 
garrison,  under  a  belief  that  they,  (the  Indians,)  had 
been  defeated  by  general  Harrison's  army.  To  pro- 
mote this  idea,  they  had,  while  lying  at  the  swamp, 
kindled  extensive  fires,  that  the  rising  volume  of  smoke 
might  be  mistaken  for  that  which  usually  ov-rhangs 
the  field  of  battle.  This  device  proving  unavuumg,  the 
Indians,  after  a  vigorous  investment,  running  through 
more  than  twenty  days,  withdrew  forever  from  the 

siege  of  fort  Wayne.  ,      n    .   i 

The  enterprise  of  young  Oliver,  just  related,  retlected 
the  highest  credit  on  his  bravery  and  patriotism :  being 
wholly  voluntary  on  his  part,  the  moral  heroism  of  the 
act  was  only  surpassed  by  its  fortunate  results ;  as  it 
prevented,  in  all  probability,  the  fall  of  an  important 
frontier  post,  and  saved  its  garrison  from  the  tomahawk 
and  scalping  knife.  So  hazardous  was  the  effort  deem- 
ed, indeed,  that  experienced  frontier's-men  endeavor 
ed'  to  dissuade  him  from  the  undertaking ;  and  even 
Logan  considered  it  one  of  great  peril ;  but  when  once 
resolved  upon,  he  gallantly  incurred  the  hazard  of  the 
deed,  and  showed  himself  worthy  of  the  trust  reposed 

In  November  of  this  year,  general  Harrison  directed 
Logan  to  take  a  small  party  of  his  tribe,  and  recon- 
noitre the  country  in  the  direction  of  the  Rapids  of  the 
Mauiiipe,  When  near  this  point,  they  were  met  by  a 
boky"of  the  enemy,  superior  to  their  own  in  number, 
and  compelled  to  retreat.    Logan,  captain  Johnny  and 


SHAWANOE  INDIANS. 


#7 


n  lines, 
minutes 
of  their 
tly,  that 
ans,  had 
ho  were 
irst,  and 

is  place, 
es  south 
ttle;  but 
)0  strong 
in  great 
y  out  the 
ms,)  had 
To  pro- 
swamp, 
of  smoke 
v-^rhangs 
luiiig,  the 
through 
from  the 

,  reflected 
m\  being 
sm  of  the 
ilts ;  as  it 
important 
3mahawk 
brt  deem- 
endeavor 
and  even 
irhea  once 
ird  of  the 
St  reposed 

n  directed 
ind  recon- 
)ids  of  the 
met  by  a 
1  number, 
ohnny  and 


Bright-horn,  who  composed  the  party,  effected  their 
escape,  to  the  left  wing  of  the  army,  then  under  the 
command  of  general  Winchester,  who  was  duly  inform- 
ed of  the  circumstances  of  their  adventure.  An  ollicer 
of  the  Kentucky  troops,  general  P.,  the  second  in  com- 
mand, without  the  slightest  ground  for  such  a  charge, 
accused  Logan  of  infidelity  to  our  cause,  and  of  giving 
mtelligence  to  the  enemy.  Indignant  at  this  foul  accu- 
sation, the  noble  chief  at  once  resolved  to  meet  it  in  a 
manner  that  would  leave  no  doubt  as  to  his  faithfulness 
to  the  United  States.  He  called  on  his  friend  Oliver, 
and  having  told  him  of  the  imputation  that  had  been 
cast  upon  his  reputation,  said  that  he  would  start  from 
the  camp  next  morning,  and  either  leave  his  body 
bleaching  in  the  woods,  or  return  with  such  trophies 
from  the  enemy,  as  would  relieve  his  character  from 
the  suspicion  that  had  been  wantonly  cast  upon  it  by 
an  American  officer. 

Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  the  22d  he  started 
down  the  Maumee,  attended  by  his  two  faithful  com- 
panions, captain  Johnny  and  Bright-horn.     About  noon, 
having  stopped  for  the  purpose  of  taking  rest,  they 
Avere  suddenly  surprised  by  a  party  of  seven  of  the  en- 
emy, amongst  whom  were  young 'Elliott,  a  half-breed, 
holding  a  commission  in  the  British  service,  and  the 
celebrated  Potawatamie  chief,  Winnemac.    Logan  made 
no  resistance,  but  with  great  presence  of  mind,  extend- 
ing his  hand  to  Winnemac,  who  was  an  old  acquain- 
tance, proceeded  to  inform  him,  that  he  and  his  two 
companions,  tired  of  the  American  service,  were  just 
leaving  general  Winchester's  army,  for  the  purpose  of 
joining  the  British.     Winnemac,  being  familiar  with 
Indian  strategy,  was  not  satisfied  with  this  declaration, 
but  proceeded  to  disarm  Logan  and  his  comrades,  and 
placing  his  party  around  them,  so  as  to  prevent  their 
escape,  svarted  for  the  British  camp  at  the  foot  of  the 
Rapids.     In  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  Logan's  ad- 
dress was  such  as  to  inspire  confidence  in  his  sincerity, 
and  induce  Winnemac  to  restore  to  him  and  his  com- 
panions their  arms.     Logan  now  formed  the  plan  of 
attacking  his  captors  on  the  first  favorable  opportunity , 
and  whilst  marching  along,  succeeded  in  commimicat ' 


1.     'M 


it  1 


58 


HISTORT    OF    THK 


^dfharlb^^vdX'operation  adroitly  did  away  the 
tl^^rtiou  by  remarking  « me  chaw  ^eapu^^^^^^^^^ 

The  evening  being  °°^. '^V^^r'/Tufkevfoot  creek, 
determined  to  encamp  on  ^h?  t'^^\°L;"^^^^^^^ 
about  twenty  miles  from  f""  Xnchester  y.  j_ 
m  the  idea  that  Logan  had  really  deser  ea  t^  e  ^^_^ 
can  service,  a  part  of  >"^^  <=,»P^'y^^X  of  blackhaws. 
place  of  their  <="«='n'P"'=f'/":Xt  tban  Logan  gave 
Jphey  were  no  sooner  °"°fj'^^^;, 'stained  behind 
,he  signal  of  attack  "P^^/^^^^J^^^^^^  third, 

they  fired  and  two  of  "^^^^f."^?*^  gg^ond  shot  to  de- 
being  only  wounded,  required  a  ^^°'^^  -^^^  „(■  ,he 

spatch  him;  and  m  *\»«=^"   ,'"^'h  the  to  and  all  of 
pLty,  who  were  "^ar  ".y,  ^^^^^^f  o'f  the  enemy,  and 
them  "treed."    Iheie  oeing  '   latter  could  not  watch 
only  three  of  Logan  s  party,  the  la  er  com  ^^^ 
all  the  movements  of  the't  antagonis  s.     in      ^ 

stanced,  and  during  an  f'-^/f^!'"  ut"ver^ 
the  enemy  passed  round  untd  Logan  ^''^  "'"-"     ,  • 
by  his  t™l  and  shot  Itim  *ro"gh  the  body     Byhis 
time  Logan's  party  had  7™d«d  two  of  thejurv^^^^g 
four,  which  caused  them  to  f"f  ,„,  .^^    Counted 

tage  of  this  ^'-to  0    '  tlf'pa^  o    a  mortal  wouud- 
Loean— now  suffering  the  pain  oi 

and  B"gh'-ho;„'n?XrthlVwi!iXsfer^  camp. 

^[,;:hX'-ctstt  r^^^^o^^  ?— d 

having  already  secured  the  ^o^'P  f  Winnemac^ 

immediately  on  foot,  and  g«  ""XTue^^t  V  ascer- 
on  the  following  morning.     It  was  ™oseque     y 
tained  that  the  two  Indians  of  *e  »  p^  Jj      .^^ 

^fivroJTt^^ltr';ere  slaln  by  Logan 

and  his  companions;.  „oiiont   affair   had  spread 


I 

I 


iright- 

i  little 

:s  into 

arms. 

)  after- 

by  his 

ray  the 
}} 

[ndians 
t  creek, 
iniiding 
Ameri- 
und  the 
ikhaws. 
m  gave 
behind ; 
le  third, 
t  to  de- 
ir  of  the 
id  all  of 
my,  and 
)t  watch 
,  circuni- 
L  man  of 
icovered 

By  this 
;urviving 
g  advan- 
mounted 
wound — 

the  ene- 
r's  camp, 
L  Johnny, 
,  followed 
oiut  early 
Ltly  ascer- 
arty,  who 
naking  in 
by  Logan 

xd  spread     ^ 
as  known 


SHAWANOE    INDIANS.  90 

that  Logan  was  mortally  wounded,  it  created  a  deep 
and  mournful  sensation.  No  one,  it  is  believed,  more 
deeply  regretted  the  fatal  catastrophe,  than  the  author 
of  the  charge  upon  Logan's  integrity,  which  had  led  to 
this  unhappy  result. 

Logan's  popularity  was  very  great ;  indeed  he  was 
almost  universally  esteemed  in  the  army,  for  his  fidelity 
to  our  cause,  his  unquestioned  bravery,  and  the  noble- 
ness of  his  nature.  He  lived  two  or  three  days  after 
reaching  the  camp,  but  in  extreme  bodily  agony ;  he 
was  buried  by  the  officers  of  the  army,  at  fort  Winches- 
ter, with  the  honors  of  war.  Previous  to  his  death,  he 
related  the  particulars  of  this  fatal  enterprise  to  his 
friend  Oliver,  declaring  to  him  that  he  prized  his  honor 
more  than  life ;  and,  having  now  vindicated  his  repu- 
tation from  the  imputation  cast  upon  it,  he  died  satis- 
fied. In  the  course  of  this  interview,  and  while  writh- 
ing with  pain,  he.  was  observed  lo  smile;  upon  being 
questioned  as  to  the  cause,  he  replied,  that  when  he 
recalled  to  his  mind  the  manner  in  which  captain  John- 
ny took  off  the  scalp  of  Winnemac,  v/hile  at  the  same 
time  dexterously  watching  the  movements  of  the  ene- 
my, he  could  not  refrain  from  laughing — an  incident  in 
savage  life,  which  shows  the  "  ruling  passion  strong  in 
death."  It  would  perhaps  be  difficult  in  the  history 
of  savage  warfare,  to  point  out  an  enterprise  the  execu- 
tion of  which  reflects  higher  credit  upon  the  address 
and  daring  conduct  of  its  authors,  than  this  does  upon 
Logan  and  his  two  companions.  Indeed  a  spirit  even 
less  indomitable,  a  sense  of  honor  less  acute,  and  a  pat- 
riotic devotion  to  a  good  cause  less  active,  than  were 
manifested  by  this  gallant  chioftain  of  the  woods,  might, 
under  other  circumstances,  have  well  conferred  iir,  mor- 
tality upon  his  name. 

The  Shawanoe  nation  has  produced  a  number  of 
distinguished  individuals,  besides  those  who  have  been 
noticed  in  this  brief  sketch  of  that  people.  The  plan 
of  our  work  does  not  permit  a  more  extended  enumeia- 
tion  of  them.  When  a  full  and  fa't'iful  history  of 
this  tribe  shall  be  written,  it  will  be  found,  we  think, 
that  no  tribe  of  aborigines  on  this  continent,  has  given 
birth  to  so  many  men,  remarkable   for  their  talents. 


#' 


i  ' 


I'-  Pi 


3l 


00 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


energy   of   character,  and    military   prowess,  as  the 

Under'^^a  treaty  held  at  the  rapids  of  the  Miami  of 
the  lakes,  in  1817,  hy  Duncan  McArthur  and  Lewia 
Cass,  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  United  Jstates, 
for  extinguishing  Indian  titles  to  lands  m  Ohio,  the 
Shawanoes  ceded  to  the  government  the  prmcipal  por- 
tion of  their  lands  within  the  limits  of  this  state.  Altei 
this  period  they  resided  principally  on  the  reserve  made 
bv  them  at  and  around  Wapakanotta,  on  the  Auglaize 
river  Here  the  greater  part  of  them  remained,  until 
within  a  few  years  past,  when,  yielding  to  the  pressing 
appeals  of  the  government,  they  sold  their  reserved 
lands  to  the  United  States,  and  removed  west  ol  tiie 

Mississippi.  ,    .    ^     ,  i        ,  „^ 

For  a  number  of  years  prior  to  their  final  depaiture 
from  Ohio,  the  society  of  Friends,  with  their  character- 
istic philanthropy  towards  the  Indians,  maintained  a 
mission  at  Wapakanotta,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  in- 
struction to  the  Shawanoe  children,  and  mducing  the 
adults  to  turn  their  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
Notwithstanding  the  wandering  and  warlike  character 
of  this  tribe,  such  was  the  success  attending  this  ettort 
of  active  benevolence,  that  the  Friends  composing  the 
Yearly  Meetings  of  Baltimore,  Ohio  and  Indiana,  still 
continue  a  similar  agency  among  the  Shavvanoes  al- 
though they  are   now  the  occupants  of  the  territory 
Iving  beyond  the  distant  Arkansas. 

Whether  the  new  position  west  of  the  Mississippi,  in 
which  the  Indian  tribes  have  been  placed,  will  tend  to 
promote  their  civilization,  arrest  their  deterioration  m 
morals,  or  their  decline  in  numbers,  we  think  extreme- 
ly problematical.  Should  such,  however,  be  the  happy 
result,  it  may  be  anticipated  that  the  tnbe  which  has 
produced  a  Logan,  a  Cornstalk  and  a  Tecumseh,  wiU 
be  among  the  first  to  rise  above  the  moral  degradat  on 
in  which  it  is  shrouded,  and  foremost  to  exhibit  the 
renovating  ifiiiuences  of  christian  civilization. 


as 


the 


iami  of 
[  Lewis 
i  States, 
liio,  tho 
pal  por- 
,     After 
\rc  made 
Uiglaize 
ed,  until 
pressing 
reserved 
St  of  the 

eparture 
riaracter- 
tained  a 
iving  in- 
icing  the 
pursuits, 
character 
his  effort 
osing  the 
iana,  still 
anocs,  al- 
territory 

issippi,  in 
ill  tend  to 
oration  in 
extreme - 
[he  happy 
vhich  has 
useh,  will 
(gradation 
xhibit  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  TECUMSEH. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Pventage  of  Tecumseh-hia  sister  Tecumapease-his  brothers  Cheese.'- 

tuJfl^^u  T  I""'  7^»ting  authorities  for  the  assertion 
hat  both  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  Creek  blood  ran  in  the 
veins  of  Tecumseh.*  It  has  been  stated  that  his  pa- 
ZTl  ^r^f  ^'^^^  '^f ""  '^^^^^  ^^^'  and  that  his  mother 
r  fl?..  f  ^'-  ^^?^  ^^"^"^  ^P^"^^»'  however,  seems  to  y 
be  that  he  was  wholly  a  Shawanoe.     On  this  point  we 

TnZn  f  ^^"^yjr^nt  authority  of  John  Johnston,  late 
Indian  agen  at  Piqua ;  and  of  Stephen  Ruddell,  fo  mer- 
ly  of  Kentucky,  who  for  near  twenty  years  was  i  prison- 
er  among  the  Shawanoes.  They  boUi  poshes sedTpl 
seST^fp^'f  ascertaming  the  fa.t,Lid  unite  iZ  ! 
serung  hat  Puckeshmwa,  the  father  of  Tecumseh,  Avas 

moTh;?of^hU^^/^^''."P"^  ^^^  Methoataske  [he 
mother,  of  the  Turtle  tribe  of  the  Shawanoe  nation. 

Ihe  parents  of  Tecumseh  remov  1  from  Florida  to*- 
the  north  side  of  the  Ohio,  about  me  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century.     The  father  rose  to  tlie  rank  of  a 
chief  and  fell  m  the  celebrated  battle  of  the  Wwha'  ^ 
in  1774,  leaving  six  sons  and  one  %ughter.     Of  these 
one  or  two  were  born  at  the  south,  the  oihers  wS 
what  now  constitutes  the  state  of  Ohio.     They  will  be 
briefly  noticed  m  the  order  of  their  birth 

^Cheeseekau,  the  eldest,  is  represented 'to  have  taken 
great  pains  with  his  brother  Tecumseh,  labor^g  no" 
'nto^hisS  t'l''  ^  ^f  »?^^«hed  warriJr,  but  tolnsti 
intohismmdaloveoftrmh,  and  a  contempt  for  every 

hav^'b^e'nt'loLTnSV  ''/'•  "^™^"  '^^^"'"^ha,  but  the  public 

^'  61 


II 

s      '•  i 


62 


LIVE    OF    TKCUMSEH. 


:M« 


thing  mean  and  sordid.     Cheeseekau  fought  by  the 
siae  of  his  father  in  the  battle  of  Kanawha ;  and,  some 
years  afterwards,  led  a  small  band  of  Shawanoes  on  a 
predatory  expedition  to  the  south,  Tecumseh  being  one 
of  the  party.    While  there,  they  joined  some  Chero- 
kees,in  an  attack  upon  a  fort,garrisoned  by  white  men. 
A  day  oi  two  before  the  attack,  Cheeseekau  made  a 
speech  to  his  followers,  and  predicted  that  at  such  an 
hour,  on  a  certain  morning,  they  would  reach  the    ort, 
and  that  he  should  be  shot  in  the  forehead  and  killed; 
but  that  the  fort  would  be  taken,  if  the  party  persevered 
in  the  assault,  which  he  urged  them  to  do.     An  ettort 
was  made  by  his  followers  to  induce  him  to  turn  back, 
but  he  refused.     The  attack  took  place  at  the  time  pre- 
^  dieted,  and  Cheeseekau  fell.     His  last  words  expressed 
the  joy  he  felt  at  dying  in  battle ;  he  did  not  wish,  he 
said,  to  be  buried  at  home,  like  an  old  woman,  but  pre- 
ferred that  the  fowls  of  the  air  should  pick  his  bones. 
The  fall  of  their  leader  created  a  panic  among  the  as- 
saulting party,  and  they  suddenly  retreated.^ 
Q  Tecumapease,  known  also  by  the  name  of  Mene- 
waulakoosee,  was  a  sister  worthy  of  her  distinguished 
brother  Tecumseh,  with  whom,  up  to  the  period  ot  his 
death,  she  was  a  great  favorite.     Sensible,  kmd  hearted, 
and  uniformly  exemplary  in  her  conduct,  she  obtained 
and  exercised  a  remarkable  degree  of  influence  over  the 
females  of  her  tribe.     She  was  united  in  rnarriage  to  a 
;^mt;e,  called  Wasegoboah,  (stand  firm,)  who  fell  in  the 
battle  of  the  1  iiames,  fighting  courageously  by  the  side 
,of  his  brother-in-law,  Tecumseh.     In  1814,  Tecutna- 
^  pease  visited  Quebec,  in  company  with  some  other 
members  of  her  tribe,  from  whence,  after  the  close  ot 
the  war  between  this  country  and  England,  she  return- 
ed to  the  neig>iborhood  of  Detroit,  where,  not  long  af- 
terwards, she  died.     Tecumseh  is  represented  to  have 
entertained  for  her  a  warm  affection,  and  to  have  treat- 
ed her,  uniformly,  with  respect.     He  was  m  the  habit 
o^  making  her  many  valuable  presents. 
(VSauwaseekau,  is  supposed  to  have  been  born  while 
his  parents  were  removing  from  the  south  to  the  Ohio. 

•  Stephen  Ruddell's  manuscript  narrative. 


LIFE    or    T£CUMS£H. 


6$ 


Concerning  him  few  particulars  have  been  preserved. 
Ho  stood  well  as  a  warrior,  and  was  killed  in  battle 
during  Wayne's  campaign  in  1794. 

The  fourth  child,  Tecumseh,  or  the  Shooting  Star,  is 
the  subject  of  this  biography. 

Of  the  fifth,  Nehaseemc,  no  information  has  been 
obtained. 

The  two  remaining  children,  Laulewasikaw,  called 
after  he  became  a  prophet  Tenskwautawa,  and  Kum- 
skaukau,  were  twins.  Such  is  understood  to  have  been 
the  statement  of  the  former,  in  giving  the  family  pedi- 
gree. Other  authorities*  say  that  Tecumseh,  Laule- 
wasikaw, and  Kumskaukau  were  all  three  born  at  the 
same  time.  The  last  named  lived  to  be  an  old  man, 
and  died  without  distinction. 

Laulewasikaw,  as  will  appear  in  the  course  of  this 
work,  lived  to  attain  an  extraordinary  degree  of  noto- 
riety. He  became,  under  the  influence  of  his  brother  y 
Tecuinsehja  powerful  agent  in  arousing  the  supersti- 
tious feelings  of  the  north-western  Indians,  in  that 
memorable  period  of  their  history,  between  the  year 
1805,  and  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  in  1811,  which  dis- 
solved, in  a  great  measure,  the  charm  by  which  he  had 
successfully  played  upon  their  passions  and  excited 
them  to  action.  The  character  and  prophetical  career 
of  this  individual  will  necessarily  be  fully  displayed  in 
the  progress  of  this  work.  There  is,  however,  one  trait 
of  his  character  which  may  be  appropriately  mentioned 
in  this  place — his  disposition  to  boast,  not  only  of  his 
own  standing  and  importance,  but  also  of  the  rank  and 
respectability  of  the  family  to  which  he  belonged.  As 
an  mstance  of  this  peculiarity,  and  of  his  tact  in  telling 
a  plausible  tale,  the  following  narration  may  be  cited. 
It  is  an  ingenious  mixture  of  truth  and  fiction ;  and 
was  written  down  by  the  gentleman  to  whom  it  was 
related  by  Laulewasikaw.  The  language  is  that  of  the 
individual  to  whom  the  narrative  was  made. 

"His  paternal  grandfather,  (according  to  his  state- 
ment of  ihe  family  pedigree)  was  a  Creek,  who,  at  a 
period  which  is  not  defined  in  the  manuscript  before 


# 


*  John  Jclmston  and  Anthoiiv  Shane. 


if    i 
n 

II; 


64 


LIFE    OP    TBCnMSEH. 


# 


'I 


US  went  to  one  of  the  southern  cities,  either  Savannah 
0  'Seln,  to  hold  a  council  with  the  Enghsh  gov- 
ernor, whose  daughter  was  present  at  some  oi  the  inter- 
views.   This  young  lady  had  conceived  a  violent  ad- 
Son  for  the  Indian  character ;  and,  having  deter- 
mined to  bestow  herself  upon  some  "  warlike  lord-  of 
the  forest,  she  took  this  occasion  to  communicate  her 
partality   to  her  father.    The  next  mornmg,  m  the 
counc     the  governor  enquired  of  the  Indians  which  ot 
them  was  the  most  expen  hunter;  and  the  grandfather 
of  Tecumseh,  then  a  young  and  handsome  man,  who 
sat  modestly  in  a  retirk  part  of  the  room,  -as  pointed 
out  to  him.     When  the  council  broke  up  lor  the  day, 
Te  governor  asked  his  daughter  if  she  was  really  so 
partfal  to  the  Indians,  as  to  prefer  ^electm^  a  husband 
from  them,  and  finding  that  she  persisted  in  this  sii  gu- 
Ir  predilection,  he  directed  her  attention  to  the  young 
Creek  warrior,  for  whom,  at  first  sight,  she  avowed  a 
decided  attachment.    On  the  follow  nj^   morning  the 
governor  announced  to  the  Creeks  th.t  his  dang  lei 
was  disposed  to  marry  one  of  their  number  ;  and,  liay- 
bg  pointed  out  the  individual,  added,  that  his  own  con- 
Tent  would  be  given.     The  chiefs  at  fir.t  very  naturally 
doubted  whether  the  governor  was  m  ^^f  ^^est ;  but  up- 
on assuring  them  that  he  was  sincere,  hey  advised  the 
vouni?  man  to  embrace  the  lady  and  her  otlcr.     He 
Ivas  not  so  ungallant  as  to  refuse  ;  and  having  consen- 
ted to  the  fortune  that  was  thus  buckled  on  linn  was 
immediately  taken  to  another  apartment,  where  he  was 
dTsrobed  of  his  Indian  costume  by  a  tram  of  black  ser- 
vams,  washed,  and  clad  in  a  new  suit,  and  the  mar- 
riage ceremony  was  immediately  peiiormed. 

TAtthT  close  of  the  council  the  Creeks  returned 

home  but  the  vounff  hunter  remained  with  his  wile. 

He  amused  hirlself  in  hunting,  in  which  he  was  very 

uccessfnl,  and  was  accustomed  to  take  a  coupe  o 

black  servants  with  him,  who  seldom  failed  o  brn  g  m 

lar^e  quantities  of  game.     He  hved  aniong  the  whites 

uilli\s  wife  had  borne  him  two  daughters  and  a  son^ 

Upon  the  birth  of  the  latter,  the  governor  went  to  see 

upuu  ^^'^^         _ _,     _^  oo  weU  nlpased.that  he  called 

ills  eranuKun,  tiuu  wn^  su  \\c:.i  ~ ,.  i     x:     j 

ills  friends  together,  and  caused  thirty  guns  to  be  hred. 


IIPE    Of    TFCUMSKH. 


m 


intmli 
I  gov- 

inter- 
nt  ad- 
deter- 
•d'»  of 
te  her 
in  the 
lich  of 
ifather 
[1,  who 
)ointed 
10  day, 
lally  so 
usband 
1  singu- 

young 
owed  a 
ing  the 
Slighter 
id,  hav- 
,vn  con- 
atiirolly 
but  up- 
ised  the 
cr.     He 
consen- 
im,  was 
;  he  was 
lack  ser- 
he  mar- 
returned 
his  wife, 
vas  very 
3Uple  of 

bring  in 
LG  whites 
lid  a  son. 
It  to  see 
lie  called 

be  tired. 


Wlien  the  boy  was  seven  or  eight  years  old  his  fhtlier 
•lied,  and  the  governor  took  charge  of  the  child,  who 
was  often  visited  by  the  Creeks.  At  the  age  of  ten  or 
twelve,  he  was  permitted  to  accompany  the  Indians  to 
iheir  nation,  where  he  spent  some  time ;  and  two  years 
after,  lie  again  made  a  long  visit  to  the  Creeks,  who 
then,  with  a  few  Shawanoes,  lived  on  a  river  called 
Panseekoalnakec,  and  began  to  adopt  their  dress  and 
customs.  They  gave  him  an  Indian  name,  Puckeshin- 
wau,  which  means  something  that  drops;  and  after 
learning  their  language,  he  became  so  nmch  attached 
to  the  Indian  life,  that  when  the  governor  sent  for  him 
he  refused  to  return." 

Sucli  is  the  pleasant  and  artful  story,  narrated  with 
solemn  gravity  by  Laulewasikaw,  to  emblazon  the  fa- 
mily pedigree  by  connecting  it  with  the  governor  of 
one  of  the  provinces :  and  here,  for  the  present,  we 
take  our  leave  of  the  "Open  Door." 

The  band  of  Shawanoes  with  whom  Puckeshinwau 
and  his  family  emigrated  to  the  Ohio,  established  them- 
selves, in  the  first  place,  in  the  valley  of  the  Scioto, 
from  whence  they  subsequently  removed  to  the  waters 
of  Mad  River,  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Great  Miami. 
After  the  death  of  Puckeshinwau,  his  wife  Methoataas- 
kee,  returned  to  the  south,  where  she  died  at  an  advan- 
ced age,  among  the  Cherokees.  She  belonged  to  the 
Turtle  tribe  of  the  Shawanoes,  and  her  name  signifies, 
a  txirtle  laying  eggs  in  the  sand.  That  she  was  a  re- 
spectable woman,  is  the  testimony  of  those  who  knew 
her  personally  :  that  she  was  naturally  a  superior  one, 
may  be  fairly  inferred  from  the  character  of  at  least  a 
part  of  her  children. 

With  this  brief  account  of  an  aboriginal  family 
highly  reputable  in  itself,  but  on  which  Jhe  name  of 
lecumsoh  has  conferred  no  small  degree  of  distinction, 
we  now  proceed  to  the  immediate  subject  of  this  me- 
moir. 

f2 


ei 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Birth  place  of  Tecumseh— destruction  of  the  Piqua  village — early  habits 
of  Tecumseh— his  first  battle— effort  to  abolish  the  burning  of  prison- 
era — visits  the  Cherokees  in  the  south — engages  in  several  battles — re- 
turns to  Ohio  in  the  autumn  of  1790. 

Some  diversity  of  opinion  has  prevailed  as  to  the 
birth  place  of  Tecumseh.     It  is  generally  supposed, 
and  indeed  is  stated  by  several  historians  to  have  been 
in  the  Scioto  valley,  near  the  place  where  Chillicothe 
now  stands.     Such,  however,  is  not  the  fact.     He  was 
born  in  the  valley  of  the  Miamis,  on  the  bank  of  Mad 
I  River,  a  few  miles  below  Springfield,  and  within  the 
limits  of  Clark  county.     Of  this  there  is  the  most  satis- 
factory evidence.     In  the  year  1805,  when  the  Indians 
were  assembling  at  Greenville,  as  it  was  feared  with 
some  hostile  intention  against  the  frontiers,  the  gover- 
nor of  Ohio  sent  Duncan  McArthur  and  Thomas  Wor- 
thington  to  that  place,  to  ascertain  the  object  and  dis- 
position of  these  Indians.     Tecumseh  and  three  other 
chiefs  agreed  to  return  with  these  messengers  to  Chilli- 
cothe, then  the  seat  of  government,  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  a  "  talk"  with  the  governor.     General  McAr- 
thur, in  a  letter  to  the  author  of  this  work,  under  date 
of  19th  November,   1821,  says,  "When  on  the  way 
from  Greenville  to  Chillicothe,  Tecumseh  pointed  out 
to  us  the  place  where  he  was  born.     It  was  in  an  old 
Shawanoe  town,  on  the  north-west  side  of  Mad  River, 
about  six  miles  below  Springfield."    This  fact  is  corrob- 
orated by  Stepi  ^n  Ruddell,  the  early  and  intimate  asso- 
ciate of  Tecumseh,  who  states  that  he  was  "  born  in  the 
neighborhood  of  "  old  Chillicothe,"  in  the  year  1V68." 
The  "  old  Chillicothe"  here  spoken  of  was  a  Shawanoe 
village,  situated  on  Massie's  creek,  three  miles  north 
of  where  Xenia  now  stands,  and  about  ten  or  twelve 
miles  south  of  the  village  pointed  out  by  Tecumseh,  to 
general  McArthur,  as  the  spot  of  his  nativity.     This 
village  was  the  ancient  Piqua  of  the  Shawanoes,  and 
occupied  the  site  on  which  a  small  town  called  West 
^Boston  has  since   been  built.     The  principal  part  of 


:'.:lii 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


67 


arly  hamts 
r  of  prison- 
)aUles — re- 


s  to  the 
ipposed, 
Lve  been 
lillicothe 
He  was 
:  of  Mad 
thill  the 
Dst  satis- 
!  Indians 
red  with 
le  gover- 
las  Wor- 
and  dis- 
ree  other 
to  ChiUi" 
rpose  of 
d  McAr- 
ider  date 
the  way 
inted  out 
in  an  old 
id  River, 
is  corrob- 
late  asso- 
>ru  in  the 
ir  1768." 
hawanoe 
les  north 
31  twelve 
nnseh,  to 
y.     This 
noes,  and 
led  West 
1  part  of 


Piqua  stood  upon  a  plain,  rising  fifteen  or  twenty  feet 
above  the  river.    On  the  south,  between  the  village 

and  Mad  River,  there  was  an  extensive  prairie on  the 

north-east  some  bold  cliffs,  terminating  near  the  river 

on  the  west  and  south-west,  level  thnbered  land ;  while 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  another  prairie,  of 
yarymg  width,  stretched  back  to  the  high  grounds. 
The  river  sweeping  by  in  a  graceful  bend— the  precip- 
itous rocky  cliffs— the  undulating  hills  with  their  tow- 
ering trees— the  prairies  garnished  with  tall  grass  and 
brilliant  flowers— combined  to  render  the  situation  of 
Piqua  both  beautiful  and  picturesque. 

At  the  period  of  its  destruction,  Piqua  was  quite 
populous.     There  was  a  rude  log  fort  within  its  limits,  / 
surrounded  by  pickets.     It  was,  however,  sacked  and 
burnt  on  the  8th  of  August,  1780,  by  an  army  of  one 
thousand  men  from  Kentucky,  after  a  severe  and  well 
conducted  battle  with  the  Indians  who  inhabited  it. 
All  the  improvements  of  the  Indians,  including  more 
than  two  hundred  acres  of  corn  and  other  vegetables, 
then  growing  in  their  fields,  were  laid  waste  and  de- 
stroyed.    The  town  was  never  afterwards  rebuilt  by 
the  Shawanoes.     Its  inhabitants  removed  to  the  Great 
Miami  river,  and  erected  another  town  which  they    # 
called  Piqua,  after  the  one  that  had  just  been  destroy- 
ed;  and  in  defence  of  which  they  had  fought  with  the 
skill  and  valor  characteristic  of  their  nation.* 

The  birth  of  Tecumseh  has  been  placed  by  some 
writers  in  the  year  1771.  Ruddell  states  that  it  occur- 
red in  1768,  three  years  earlier,  and  this,  we  think,  is 
probably  the  true  period.  His  early  boyhood  gave 
promise  of  the  renown  of  his  maturer  years.  After 
the  death  of  his  father,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
in  his  sixth  year,  he  was  placed  under  the  charge  of 
ns  oldest  brother,  Cheeseekau,  who  taught  him  to 
hunt,  led  him  to  battle,  and  labored  zealously  to  imbue 
his  mind  with  a  love  for  truth,  generosity,  and  the 
practice  of  those  cardinal  Indian  virtues,  courage  in 
battle  and  fortitude  in  suffering.     From  his  boyhood, 


We  triend,  Major  James  Galloway,  of  Xenia,  Ohio. 


^^      i'll 


66 


LIFE    OF    T£CUMS£U. 


i 


!ii  "M 


Tecumseh  seems  to  have  had  a  passion  for  war.  His 
pastimes,  like  those  of  Napoleon,  were  generally  in  the 
sham-battle  field.  He  was  the  leader  of  his  compan- 
ions in  all  their  sports,  and  was  accustomed  to  divide 
them  into  parties,  one  of  which  he  always  headed,  for 
the  pm-pose  of  fighting  mimic  battles,  in  which  he  usu- 
aJly  distinguished  himself  by  his  activity,  strength  and 

■i  skill.*  His  dexterity  in  the  use  of  the  bow  and  arrow 
exceeded  that  of  all  the  other  Indian  boys  of  his  tribe, 
by  whom  he  was  loved  and  respected,  and  over  whom 
he  exercised  unbounded  influence.     He  was  generally 

''surrounded  by  a  set  of  companions  who  were  ready  to 
stand  or  fall  by  his  side.t  It  is  stated  that  the  first  bat- 
tle in  which  he  was  engaged,  occurred  on  Mad  River, 
near  where  Dayton  stands,  between  a  party  of  Ken- 
tuckians,  commanded  by  colonel  Benjamhi  Logan,  and 
some  Shawanoes.  At  this  time  Tecumseh  was  very 
young,  and  joined  the  expedition  under  the  care  of  his 
brother,  who  was  wounded  at  the  first  fire.  It  is  rela- 
ted by  some  Indian  chiefs  that  Tecumseh,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action,  became  frightened  and  ran.  J 
This  may  be  true,  but  it  is  the  only  instance  in  which 
he  was  ever  known  to  shrink  from  danger,  or  to  loose 
that  presence  of  mind  for  which  he  was  ever  after- 
wards remarkably  distinguished. 

The  next  action  in  which  Tecumseh  participated, 
and  in  which  he  manifested  signal  prowess,  was  an 
attack  made  by  the  Indians  upon  some  flat  boats,  de-  / 
scending  the  Ohio,  above  Limestone,  now  Maysviile. 
The  year  in  which  it  occurred  is  not  stated,  but  Tecum- 
seh was  not  probably  more  than  sixteen  or  seventeen 
years  of  age.  The  boats  were  captured,  and  all  the 
persons  belonging  to  them  killed,  except  one,  who  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  afterwards  burnt.  Tecumseh  was 
a  silent  spectator  of  the  scene,  having  never  witnessed 
the  burning  of  a  prisoner  before.  After  it  was  over, 
he  expressed  in  strong  terms,  his  abhorrence  of  the 
act,  and  it  was  finally  concluded  by  the  party  that  they 


*  Stephen  Ruddell's  MS,  account.  f  Anthony  Shane. 

t  A  similar  statement  is  made  in  regard  to  the  tiret  ba<Ue  of  the  celebra- 
iva  iU:u  Jackei. 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


ar.     His 

ly  in  the 
compan- 
io  divide 
ided,  for 
he  usu- 
igth  and 
id  arrow 
lis  tribe, 
ir  whom 
enerally 
ready  to 
first  bat- 
d  River, 
of  Ken- 
yan, and 
as  very 
re  of  his 
t  is  rela- 
he  com- 
nd  ran  4 
n  which 
to  loose 
ix  after- 

cipated, 
was  an 
Dats,  de-  / 
aysviile. 
Tecum- 
venteen 

all  the 
rho  was 
seh  was 
itnessed 
is  over, 

of  the 
lat  they 


he  celebra- 


6§ 


would  never  burn  any  more  prisoners ;  *  and  to  this 
resolution,  he  himself,  and  the  party  also,  it  is  believed 
evcj  afterwards  scrupulously  adhered.  It  is  not  less 
creditable  to  the  humanity  than  to  the  genius  of  Te- 
cnmseh,  that  he  should  have  taken  this  noble  stand 
and  by  the  force  and  eloquence  of  his  appeal,  have 
brought  his  companions  to  the  same  resolution  He 
was  then  but  a  boy,  yet  he  had  the  independence  to 
attack  a  cherished  custom  of  his  tribe,  and  the  power 
01  argument  to  convince  them,  against  all  their  precon- 
ceived notions  of  right  and  the  rules  of  warfare,  that 
the  custom  should  be  abolished.  That  his  effort  to  put 
a  stop  to  this  cruel  and  revolting  rite,  was  not  prompt- 
ed by  any  temporary  expediency,  but  was  the  result 
of  a  humane  disposition,  and  a  right  sense  of  justice,  is 
ato  ?Ub  ^^  ^'^  ''''''^''''^  towards  prisoners  in 

The  boats  were  owned  by  traders.  The  number  of 
whites  kiled  in  the  engagement  has  not  been  ascertain- 
ed.  In  the  attack  upon  them,  Tecumseh  not  onlv  be- 
haved  with  great  courage,  but  even  left  in  the  back 
ground  some  of  the  oldest  and  bravest  warriors  of  the 
party  From  this  time  his  reputation  as  a  brave,  and 
his  influence  over  other  minds,  rose  rapidly  among  the 
tribe  to  which  he  belonged. 

About  the  year  1787,  Cheeseekau  and-  Tecumseh 
with  a  party  of  Kiscopokes,  one  of  the  tribes  of  the 
J^hawanoe  nation,  moved  westward  on  a  hunting  and 
predatory  expedition.  They  made  a  stand  for  some 
months  on  the  waters  of  the  Mississinnaway,  and  then 
crossed  over  to  the  Mississippi,  opposite  the  mouth  of 
Apple  creek,  where  they  encamped  and  remained  for 
eight  or  nme  months.  From  thence  they  proceeded  to- 
wards the  Cherokee  country.     On  their  roiLrwhile  op. 

hT^h\nh  T ^'''''  'l!'^  ^''^l^'^  ^"  ^  b"«*^'«  ^hase,  dur- 
ing which  Tecumseh  was  thrown  from  hi^  horse,  and  v' 
had  his  thigh  broken.t    This  accident  detained  them  for 
some  months  at  the  place  where  it  occurred.   So"as 
he  had  recovered,  the  party,  headed  by  Cheeseekau,  pro- 


■ftfl 


*  Stephen  RuddelL 

t  «hane  thinks  both  thighs  were  broken,  Ruddell  says  but  one. 


70 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSKH. 


!    I' 


ceeded  on  their  way  to  the  country  of  the  Cheiokees 
who  were  then  at  hostilities  with  the  whites.  Wiih 
that  fondness  for  adventure  and  love  of  war,  which 
have  ever  marked  the  Shawanoe  character,  they  inim|- 
diately  offered  assistance  to  their  brotiiren  of  the  soufli, 
which  being  accepted,  they  joined  m  the  contest. 

The  engagement  in  which  they  participated  was  an 
attack  upon  a  fort,  the  name  and  P^f  ^^/^  .^^  J^JJ^^ 
were  not  known  to  our  informant.  The  Indians,  it  is 
well  known  are  always  superstitious,  and  from  the  fact 
of  Cheeseekau,  having  foretold  his  death,  its  occurrence 
disheartened  them,  and  in  despite  of  the  influence  of 
Tecumseh  and  the  Cherokee  leaders,  who  rose  above 
the  superstition  of  their  comrades,  the  attack  was  given 
up,  and  a  sudden  retreat  followed. 

Tecumseh,  who  had  left  the  banks  of  the  Miami  m 
quest  of  adventures,  and  for  the  p'lrpose  of  winning  re- 
nown as  a  warrior,  told  the  party  that  he  was  de^r- 
mined  not  to  return  to  his  native  land,  until  he  had 
achieved  some  act  worthy  of  being  recounted.     He 
accordingly  selected  eight  or  ten  men  ^^^  P[«^^^^^f  .  ^ 
the  nearest  settlement,  attacked  a  house,  killed  all  me 
men  in  it,  and  took  the  women  and  children  prisoners. 
He  did  not  immediately  retreat,  but  engaged  m  some 
other  similar  adventures.     During  this  expedition  he 
was  three  times  attacked  in  the  night  m  his  encamp- 
ment: but  owing  to  his  good  judgment  in  the  choice  of 
hs  camping  ground,  and  his  habitual  watchfulness 
when  in  an  enemy's  country,  no  advantage  was  gained 
over  him     On  one  occasion,  while  encamped  m  the  edge 
of  a  cane-brake  on  the  waters  of  the  Tennessee,  he  was 
assaulted  by  a  party  of  whites,  about  thirty  m  num- 
bei      Tecumseh  had  not  lain  down,  but  was  engaged 
at  the  moment  of  the  attack,  in  dressing  some  meat 

He  instantly  sprang  to  his  feet,  ^^^t-°'/'''''^-th''r.pT 
party  to  follow  him,  rushed  upon  his  foes  with  perfect 
Fearkssness;  and,  having  killed  two,  put  the  whole 
party  to  flight,  he  losing  none  of  his  own  men. 
\  Tecumseh  and  his  party  remained  at  the  south  near- 
^  Iv  two  years,  traversing  that  region  of  country,  visiting 
the  different  tribes  of  Indians,  and  engagmg  in  the  bor- 
der forays  which  at  that  period  were  ccnstanuy  occui 


)Uin, 


erokees, 
,    Wiih 
,  which 
y  imi 
e  souti 

!t. 

was  an 
f  which 
ans,  it  is 
,  the  fact 
currence 
uence  of 
se  above 
as  given 

Jiami  in 
lining  re- 
as  deter- 

I  he  had 
ted.  He 
ceeded  to 
d  all  ihfc 
prisoners. 

in  some 
dition  he 
5  encamp- 
choice  of 
tchfulness 
as  gained 

II  the  edge 
36,  he  was 
y  in  num- 
s  engaged 
)me  meat. 

his  small 
Lth  perfect 
the  whole 
en. 

onth  near- 
ry,  visiting 
in  the  bor- 
ntly  occiri- 


LfPE    OP   TECrMSEH.  ^j 

uig  oeen  absent  fiom  Ohio  upwards  of  three  years. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

who  went  out  for  the  purpose  of  watnhint.hr    ^     ' 

^^-^.^  ^^u=:of S3:? 

and  renown  of  the  United  States  '°  **  """ 

rior"  and?t'''  '•"''  T^c^mseh.  nith  ten  other  war- 

-^ ..xp...xjr  xjx  wanes  near  treble  their 

•  Stephen  Ruddell. 


}   '■■ 


'14.i 


12 


LIFE    OF    TECUM8EH. 


,    > 


I|i0i 


number  Tecumseh  raised  the  war-whoop,  upon  which 
STln'a  J^rang  to  their  arms  and  prompt^  ^.turr. 
^A  tViP  firp  He  then  directed  the  boy  to  run,  ana  ui 
mtSngmmd  a  moment  afterwards,  perceived  that  one 

oThUmen,  Black  Tarkey,  was  '^^^'XlZeMs 
already  retreated  to  the  distance  of  one  hundred  yards, 
vet  such  was  his  fear  of  Tecumseh,  he  instantly  obeyed 
[he  oTder  to  return,  indignantly  given  h™- a°d_jonied 
in  the  battle     Two  of  the  whites  were  kUled-one  of 
tLmby  T  c\Jseh-before  they  retreated,    '^hj  e  pur- 
suinff  them  Tecumseh  broke  the  trigger  of  his  rifte, 
wS  Seed  him  to  give  up  the  chase,  -^pMy 
more  of  the  whites  would  have  fallen.     Tht/  were 
rt^manded  by  Robert  M'Clelland.    Tecumseh  lost 
none  0  "his  me^;  two  of  them,  however,  were  wound- 
ed one  of  whom  was  Black  Turkey.* 

/"l^hT^^^^^^^ 

:rp^r j^ri^T  mSfaUtnt;^^^^^^^ 

M'lS  DownUig,  Washburn,  Calvin  and  severa  oth- 
Tr  experiencld  w'o'odsmen.  The  first  named  Simon 
Kento?.T  distinguished  Indian  fi/tf' -^  P^^^^  ^ 

ZTA  I^;  r  cCd  r  Ohio^^J^^e 

—  ly  ro^^-vetr^  ^Hapf-Hl 
thev  crossed  the  Ohio  that  night,  and  encamped.    Early 

ne/t  morning  the  trail  was  again  taken  and  pursued 
on  a  Tor  h  course,  all  day,  the  weather  being  bad  and 
thesrom^  wet.  On  the  ensuing  mornmg  twelve  of 
!he  men  werTunable  to  continue  the  pursuit,  and  were 
ferSd  to'reLn.  The  remainder  ^1  owed  the  t^^^' 
until  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M.,  when  a  bell  was  heartt, 
wh!*  they"  supposed  indicated  thMrapr,ro^ch  to  t^^^^^ 

raranHoth^gtinrdrH^htm^^^^^^^^ 
S.  weretent'aiad^as  spies  in  different  direct^^s, 
each  being  followed  by  a  detachment  of  the  party^ 


»  Anthony  Shane, 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSJBH.  yg 

at. and  killed.  Ke,ZL^t!'Zll±±lfJ'f 
being  now  satisfied  that  the  camn  nf  fhfi  ,  ^  '^^^^' 
near  at  hand      Th»,r  v,.,  i!  j         P    '  '"*  Indians  was 

aamsDurg  has  since  bepn  hnilf      tu^  •  j-      .  " 

considerable  hn^^rr^fi  a-         '     ^^^  indications  of  a 

then  assault  the^camn  '%P°»'=T''''  ""'"  "'S^t,  and 
executini,      T,;;,    T!F:      ■       P'""  ^™s  earned  into 

Indran   *andlrc:rt"a  „' whS  Z"''  ''^'"'  "'  ^^'^"^  "h: 
been  di^coverT    The  oth^^'  m2tod"r  ""'^  !;"" 

Trs;i-rUnnr^„S^^^^^^^^^ 

iienton  commai)diiiff  the  ricri.f  M»Tnf,Vo  .u    ^  ^"~" 

Downing  the  left      r\  .1''    '  .^  ^^^  centre,  and 

were  t^move  totarl^hl'T'"'' '^^'^^^^  ^^^'^^^^^^ 
ment  of  the  attack    hv  thl  f^^^^d  in  the  commence- 

the  threrdetacl  m^^t  ^f'"''<"^M^^  general  fire  from 
sleeping  under  lomf^  P""  "'^  ^"'^''^"^  ""^Iw  ^v-ere 
upoS"L™tlir'!'.'.i""S"««^  =«'d  baric  tents,  close 

as  it  proved' in  the'  .'^m,»?T";     ,■""'  "nlbrtunately. 
P    vea  in  the  sequel  Kenton's  party  had  taken 


III!' 


ly^  UFE   OF   TECUMSBH. 

«  Boone,"  as  their  watch-word.    This  "■''"^  happenmg 
trThn  as  familiar  to  the  enemy  as  themselves,  led  to  some 

^p^  S.     They  wore  /-f -f  .-"^Tm  Tntfl 
cimp  on  the  opposite  side  of   '  «  "Xles     In  a  few 

with  each  other,  and  the  cry  of  "  Boone,     ana 
Knm,J"  arose  simnltaneously  frora  each  party. 
%?'^asaf^  midnight  wh'cn  the  'Attack  was  made 
«n,l  tliere  being  no  moon,  it  was  very  darlc.    Kenton 
p"efce  ihfg  tlmtlis  men  we're  likely  to  be  overpowered^ 
5^r,l..rpd  a  retreat  after  the  attack  had  lasted  lor  a  low 
?^hrates    ths  was  continued  throngh  the  rcmamder  oi 
Sen  ghl  a      part  of  the  next  day,  the  Indians  pursu- 
^  tlL,  but  Uhout  kUln^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^au  one  of  the  .^ 

ICfdr&nto  a.^d  thn  Barr.t    The  loss  of  the 
MUanfwas  nmch  greater,  according  to  the  statenren  s 

nntP  including  Tecumseh,  Battise,  Black  Snalcc,  vyoii 
^d  cSr;  and  that  the  party  had  been  formed  for 
fhP  m  inose  of  annoying  the  settlements  ni  Kenti^ky, 

andataS^  '^''  ^^' 'T'  ^^Z' 

?on  and  his  party  were  three  days  in  reaching  Lime- 

.?one  du  ng  two  of  which  they  were  without  lood, 
^desSof  sufficient  clothing  to  protect  them^^^^^^^ 
the  cold  winds  and  rains  of  March.  The  [orego  » 
trticulars  of  this  expedition  are  taken  from  the  manu- 
''^^^nZJl.^oi  leneral  Benjamin  Whiteman^e 

-f  .!>-  orn^W  nna  not  on  the  opposite  side  ol  it.       ^  

"'  t.Theirth;rof  the  late  Major  WUiiam  iiart,  iOT  many  yc«=  a  ..ti,.- 
of  Cincinnati. 


)pening 
to  some 

When 
:oss  the 
to  their 

rush<3d 

from  a 
ch  until 
n  a  few- 
blended 
ad  «  Che 

• 

IS  made, 
Kenton 
powered, 
or  a  few 
linder  of 
as  pursu- 
jf  the  re- 
wo  ir-ien, 
3SS  of  ihe 
tatements 
795,  were 
lated  that 
wounded, 
imp  about 
chiefs  of 
ike,  Wolf 
formed  for 
Kentucky, 
rer.     Ken- 
ling  Lime- 
hout  food, 
them  from 
foregoing 
the  manu- 
;eman,  one 

'  of  some  of  the 
le  lower  bottom 

.  -    ^i^iiwan 

ycaxa  a  \.i'J" — 


LIPE   OP   TECUMSEH.  jg 

R"S:iir.our^,l^e";^''e^.no  and  of  S.ephen 
from  that  whicl.l.as  beenTiV^f,  ^,1"  '""'"  P^'iciilars 
the  narrative  in  McDoim Irl'!  l^i^  .u"""'  "'"'  "'^o  ''•oin 
difference  relates  to  the   mmbT'l'^.^-  "^''^  P"»<^iP»l 
Sagenietit,  and  tlie  lo«  .  I,  •      .      ^"^""^  '"  'he  en- 
port  bnt  two  ki  ed    and      "."".I  ^'K  "?'''"•     They  r". 
'OSS  than  that  o '  the  wtitt     p" ,',"?/""   ^"''^   ^^^ 
■he  eomtneneement  of  tie  attack  t^:^,'"  ''I'''  "''"  »' 
by  tlie  fire,  outside  of  t™  ?e  m  '  w?"'"'l''  ^"^  'y'ng 
was  heard  iie  snran  "  to  bk  f    .'       ,^''"  '^e  first  g,m 
"amatha-  to  following  evamnrn'  ""f  1"'""^'  »P°"  ^in- 
'orward,  and  killed  one  of7!^    "^'^  "''fS"' ''«  ™»''ed 
-^l"b.     The  other  Indians  fa  sin.  .^'"'^  '"'•''  ^is  war- 
ed their  arms,  and  nisbb,;  ,?   ^i^^''  ^"''■whoop,  seiz- 

'•ompelled  them  1ft    ^eferrconfe'sfoT  'f  '''^P"'^'' 
to  retreat.     O.ie  of  the  rmlinnf  "  .f  "^ "  ^'^'^  mniutes, 

.'?nsen,ent,  fell  into  the  r^'e^a^nV^^;:'  "f''  °''  "'«  «"' 
<'f  the  water,  made  so  „m;ih  „  •     H  """«  '°  g«  "«t 
belief  on  tl.cCds  of  the     •  itTt'lin'^'  "  f  ^''"^''  " 
was  crossing  the  stream  fo  a  d  Tecnmslh  '"i"/^''""'""' 
posed  to  liave  hastened  f  l,n  ^J  <="™'>en      I  his  is  suii- 

men  to  retreat.     The\f.ern„nn  ^  '^'°'"  '^''"'°"' '"  1  is 

of  Kenton's  men'byth^Z^^I''^  IV^"  ''""'«'  ""« 
in  catching  an  Indian    L^-^tl  Mcliitire,  succeeded 
the  camp  f  and  when  IT,'       *  ''"  '"^'^ '"  'be  rear  of 
ed  and  rode  off     Earlv  [n  [he' J"''  ^"^'''^'  ''^  "■"""'^ 
four  of  his  mensetoffl  p„t,inr°"'  T^™™^''''  and 
It^'ving  fallen  upon  11^11^^'/!- '''''''?"''''»  ?»«?• 
tt  for  some  distance  and  .1  f  Molnlire,  they  pursued 
had  struck  a  fire  and  xvl       ?-^"'  °'''=«°»k  him.     He 
Mclntire  dLove?ed  bl        "'""^  '°™'^  '"'^^'-     When 
'Wl  ^Peed    Tcumseh  and'^n^'i^  "'?«""y 'led  a" 

-ance  of  r^L^-^!::^^^^^  --» 


T.!..?'  ^'«  '''■h.  fte  name  bv  «rl,!„h  a..-u._  „ 

•  7  ""^n,  "ua  caiicd.  '    •>■'«"  "Maell,  Uien  nghling  with 


'8 


i\; 


i^ 


LIFE    Oi    TECUM8EH. 


'iTeti'duct  o?  T    ums"h  in  this  engagement  and  .n 
^ernroWUnowing  morning^  .^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

to  his  courage  and  to"^"'  [.-/"'"  "^fl  Sner,  noi 

'irit  rflv::ioS%7r^s%v»  a  capWe 

withovu  Dvomptly  rebuking  it. 

in  Bath  county,  Kentucky,  and  that^  the  mdians^^^  ^^ 

returning  with  their .  prisoners  t^^^^^^^^ 
thirty-three  men  was  immediately  raisea  lo  ^.ut 


LIFK    OV   TECUMSEH. 


;^ll 


77 


r.    He 

Upon 
aw  off 
the  at- 
.tch  the 
it  him- 
eturned 
len  had 
irisoner, 
it  was  a 
)risoner. 
;,  and  in 
Die  alike 
e  in  bat 
)ner,  noi 
captive 

Indians, 
n  a  host 
t  attacks 
vhen  the 
ometimes 
Led  in  the 
y  to  infe- 
r  like  thi^ 
;  for  when 

minds  ol 
,ct  and  in- 
y  force  of 

seh  and  a 
ioto  valley 
dly  attack- 
anty,  Ken- 
s  skirmish 
this  year, 
,  that  some 
slate  creek, 
dians  were 

jut^off  their 


retreat.     These  were  divided  into  three  companies  of 

Z!^Z"":i^ '-"'IT"  ^^"^^»  con.manding  ^  e'!!!! 
«alei  anotlicr,and  Janies  Ward  the  third.  The  whoje 
par  y  cros^.l  the  Ohio  river  at  Limestorio,  and  dr  ed 
to  strike  the  Sc.oto  above  tlio  moutii  of  Paint  c  eck 
After  crossing  this  latter  stream,  near  where  the TreiU 
road  from  Maysville  to  Chillicothc  now  crc^^sf 
evening  came  on,  and  they  hahed  for  t^e  night  n  a 
short  time  they  heard  a  noise,  and  a  little  examination 

ct?tro?iV  n:r'^^^  '"^^^^^  »"  *'-  immecSvt 
cniity  ot  an  Indian  encampment.     Their  horsp«!  w*>r« 

promptly  .aken  bnck  some  Si.tance  ^ndld^ZeyZ 

an  alarm.     A  council  was  held.-^aplain  Baker  oS 

togoa.«J  reconnoitre,  which  being' agreed  to,  he  tj^ 

ound  the  hidians  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  creek 

heir  horses  being  between  them  and  the  camp  of  the 

whites.     After  Baker's  report  was  made,  the  party  de- 

ermnied  to  remain  where  they  were  unti  near'daylifht 

he  ne.vt  morning ;  and  then  to  make  an  attack  in  "he  lb 

lowing  manner.     Captain  Baker  and  his  men  were  to 

march  round  and  take  a  position  on  the  bank  of  the 

stream,  ,i,  lio„t  of  the  Itidian  camp :  captain  Waidwa" 

one  X  whiP;°,l"'*  ?"  '"'  '""'  ''"'^  '■''P'^in  KenT^ 
one  side,  while  the  river  presented  a  barrier  on  the 

ourth,  thus  guarding  against  a  retreat  of  the  Indians 

It  was  further  agreed  that  the  attack  was  not  to  com 

mence  until  there  was  hght  enough  to  shoot  wlhaccn 

racy.     Belore  Kenton  and  Ward  had  reached  he  pos" 

tions  they  were  respectively  to  occupy,  the  bark  of  L 

dog  m  the  Indian  camp  was  heard,  anJ'.hen  tl"  repor' 

of  a  gun.     Upon  this  alarm.  Baker's  men  instantiv  & 

ed,  and  captams  Kenton  and  Ward,  with  theh  cZoa 

nies,  raismg  the  battle  cry,  rushed  'towards  tie  eZp' 

To  their  surprise,  they  found  Baker  and  his  men  in  the 

nT'thrn?,*^  V^'  ^'T  "^  '^'  I-'di-"'.  lh™s  demng! 
ing  the  plan  of  attack,  whether  from  de.sign  or  aai- 

retreated"'™."*"-  ^^'  '"f '«"^  '°"'  ^^'^  the^att  e  cT^ 
to  fire  t,>f.       P"'"''  ^e^"  "'^^^-     J'  ^™^  ^'i'l  too  dark 

»n/ft„   -v.  P'*"''."".  b"t  random  shots  were  made 
and  a  terrible  shnntin»  !,/>.,.  „_  i...  .u.  t._  j-  ;"..."'' 

tha  *^a,.*:.  "". ^  "-v^-t  up  vy  uiu  ixiaians.     While 

the  parties  were  thus  at  bay,  Tecumseh  had  the  addre^ 

O  2 


ll 


M 


A 


k-L«» 


|§  LIFE    or   TECUMSEB. 

to  send  a  part  of  their  men  to  the  lear  of  the  Kentuck- 
Lrfor  the  horses ;  and  when  they  had  been  taken 
to  the  front,  which  was  accompUshed  without  discove- 
ry,  the  Indians  n.ounted  and  ellected  their  /f^ape  car. 
IT  ng  with  them  John  Ward,  the  only  one  of  their  party 
Jho  was  shot.    This  individual,  a  white  m^^  had 
been  captured  when  three  years  old,  on  Jacksoi,  one 
of  the  tributaries  of  James  river,  m  Virguna.     H«  ^a^ 
been  raised  by  the  Indians,  among  whom  he  had  mar- 
ried^ and  reared  several  children.     He  was  the  brother 
of  James  Ward,  one  of  the  leaders  of  this  expedition, 
and  d"".of  h's'  wound  a  few  days  after  the  eW^ 

ment,  as  was  subsequently  ^f«f^":f^:..^ti  t". 
was  killed  in  this  skirmish,  and  but  one  ot  the  KentucK- 
i^ns,  Jacob  Jones,  a  member  of  Baker's  detachmen  . 
No  pursuit  of  the  Indians  was  made  from  this  point 
nor  did  they  prove  to  be  the  same  party  who  had  been 
eneaeed  in  the  attack  upon  the  Slate  creek  station/ 

In  McDonald's  Sketches,  it  is  stated  that  "  three  In- 
dians were  killed  in  this  action;  and  that  when  hred 
upon  by  their  assailants,  they  dashed  through  the  creek, 
aiTscaUered  through  the  woods,  like  a  flock  oi  young 

^"ontrse"points,  the  worthy  author  of  the  «hes^; 
has  undoubtedly  been  mismformed.    The  Indians  lost 
bu  one  man,  John  Ward ;  and  after  having  treed,  main- 
taned  their  ground  until  they  had  adroitly  obtained 
possession  of  their  horses,  and  then  succeeded  m  ina- 
Kg  their  escape,  carrying  oft'  not  only  the  wounde 
man  but  also  the  women  and  children  who  were  with 
Tern  when  attacked.     This  we  learn    -m  ^uthomi^s 
before  us,  on  which  reliance  may  be  placed.t    By  one 
of  these,  it  appears  that  there  were  but  six  or  seven 
warriors  in  the  party ;  and,  that  when  the  attack  was 
rde/recumseh^all^^  oui  to  them  that  the  women 
Sid  children  must  be  defended,  and   it  was   owing 
to  his  firmness  and  influence  that  the  assailants  were 
kept  at  bay  until  the  horses  of  his  party  were  secured, 

•  For  the  foreuoinK  details  of  this  little  expcdiUon,  the  author  is  indebt- 
ed to  «pSS.  2- Ward,  of  Mason  county.  Kentucky,  who  commanded 
one  of  the  ueuichu.ents  on  this  occasion. 

+  Anthony  Shane.    Stephen  Ruddell. 


UPt   OF   TBCDMSEM. 


y» 


and^lhe  necessary  arrangen.ei.is  made  for  a  liasty  re- 
After  this  ens;aRen.e.it,  it  is  not  know.,  that  Tecum- 

w„T,Il  „f ,.  "^« /"'lo*'"'!?  year,  Jie  ret.irned  to  the 
waters  of  ho  Miami,  and  spent  his  lime  in  hunting  for 
which  he  had  a  great  fondness,  and  in  whic  he^'wai 
generally  more  successful  tha..  any  other  member  of 

nn^h'"  **'""■*'  ^"y*  assumed  the  command  of  the  ^ 

the  tnT  ,""  "'r^'  ''"  """^d  «  <■<>«  '«  be  bum  on 
the  spot  where  the  unfortunate  defeat  of  his  predeces" 

w„;f' '"J  u''^'"'  ^'-  C'"''-'  had  occurred.  This  Ibrt 
was  named  Recovery.  "uoiori 

In  the  su.nmcr  of  1794,  an  attack  was  made  upon  it  / 
cumser'l^"'  "'"'^  of  Lidians,  among  whom  wa^-e 
cum.seh.    1  hey  were  accompanied  by  a  British  ofBcer 

s^'ed r,ir"^?'^'  'r'''''"  ^^'"'  ^-d  ammunS; 
dtns  1^,  .  '/'  "'  '"""^  ^"^"^  I"^<=''«  *l>ich  the  In- 
hsdeW.  ."'^'T.^""'"'''  St.  Clair,  at  the  time  of 
ment  If         "  ^"t""'^  '"  ""^  "'""^k  and  the  move- 

oTBtd::f^re:^ry:'.^'''^^'^' '"  ■-  "^"-^<='- 

tTr:r  ■"  "^^  ''■ff^^^"'  '"°«^  *«  advance  onhis'^^ 
well  for  the  support  of  their  respective  garrisons  as  fbr 
the  subsistence  of  the  general  army,  in  the  event  of  Us 
heing  driven  into  them,  by  untoward  circumstances 
With  this  view,  three  hundred  pack  horses,  laden  wTth 
flour,  were  sent  on  to  fort  Recovery;  and  as    t  was 
known  hat  considerable  bodies  of  the  enemy  were  cTn 
Stan  y  hovering  about  the  forts,  and  awaiU.^  onn„r' 
tunnies  of  cutting  olf  any  detachments  TromfheSn 
army,  major  McMahon,'with  ninety  r  flemen  unde 
captain  Hartshorn,  and  fifty  draeoons  und«  cantah 
laylor,  was  ordered  on  as  an  esc-ort.     This  forceCs 

attlcrun?,|'^h'"T'1f  "^^  ^''^^g-  fr"-"  "aT  "g  an 
attack,  until  they  should  unite  their  several  war  paries, 

*  For  this  fact  Bee  erenp.ml  Wr.,,;=«„»_  A  J  J 

of  too  first  settlement  of  Ohio.* '"""  "  '""^"'"^  °"  ^"*^  outiiAnmverBaij 


i^i 


90 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


and  before  this  could  be  effected,  major  McMahoji 
reached  the  place  of  his  destmation 

«  On  the  30th  of  July,  as  the  escort  was  about  leav- 
mg  fort  Recovery,  it  was  attacked  by  a  body  of  one 
thousand  Indians,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  fort. 
Captain  Hartshorn  had  advanced  only  three  or  four 
hundred  yards,  at  the  head  of  the  riflemen,  when  he 
was  unexpectedly  beset  on  every  side.    With  the  inost 
consummate  bravery  and  good  conduct,  he  maintained 
the  unequal  conflict,  until  major  McMahon,  placing 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  cavalry,  charged  upon  the 
enemy,  and  was  repulsed  with  considerable  loss.     Ma- 
jor McMahon,  captain  Taylor  and  cornet  Torrey  fell, 
upon  the  first  onset,  and  many  of  the  privates  were 
killed  or  wounded.     The  whole   savage  force  being 
now  brought  to  press  on  captain  Hartshorn,  that  brave 
officer  was  forced  to  try  and  regain  the  fort ;  but  the 
enemy  interposed  its  strength  to  prevent  this  movement. 
Lieutenant  Drake  and  ensign  Dodd,  with  twenty  vol- 
unteers, matched  from  the  fort,  and  forcing  a  passage 
through  a  column  of  the  enemy,  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet,  joined  the  rifle  corps  at  the  instant  that  cap- 
tain Hartshorn  received  a  shot  which  broke  his  thigh. 
Lieutenant  Craig  being  killed,  and  lieutenant  Marks 
taken  prisoner,  lieutenant  Drake  conducted  the  retreat; 
and  while  endeavoring  for  an  instant  to  hold  the  enemy 
in  check,  so  as  to  enable  the  soldiers  to  bring  off  their 
wounded  captain,  himself  received  a  shot  in  the  groin, 
and  the  retreat  was  resumed,  leaving  captain  Hartshorn 

on  the  field. 

"  When  the  remnant  of  the  troops  came  within  the 
walls  of  the  fort,  lieutenant  Michael,  who  had  been 
detached  at  an  early  period  of  the  bn+*le  by  captain 
Hartshorn  to  the  flank  of  the  enemy,  was  found  to  be 
missing,  and  was  given  up  as  lost ;  but  while  his  friends 
were  deploring  his  unfortunate  fate,  he  and  lieutenant 
Marks,  who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  were  seen  rush- 
ing through  the  enemy  from  opposite  directions,  to- 
wards  the  fort.  They  gained  it  safely,  notwithstand- 
ing they  were  actively  pursued,  and  many  shots  fired 

ing  down  the   Indian  who  held  him  prisoner;  and 


J 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


m» 


lieutenant  Michael  had  lost  all  of  his  party  but  three 

The  official  letter  of  general  Wayne  ffiving  an  ac- 
count of  this  action,  places  the  loss  of  the  Ihites  at 
twenty-two  hlled  and   thirty  wounded.     "The   ene 
my,    continues  the  report,  "were  soon  repulsed  with 

fhtJ    l^Y^''^""^  immediately  rallied  and  reiterated 
the  attack,  keeping  up  a  very  heavy  and  constant  fire 
at  a  more  respectable  distance,  for  the  remainder  of  the 
aay,  which  was  answered  with  spirit  and  effect  by  the 
garrison,  and  that  part  of  major  McMahon's  command 
that  had  regained  the  fort.     The  savages  were  employ- 
ed during  the  night  (which  was  dark  and  fogg^,)  in 
carrying  off  their  dead  by  torchlight,  which  occalionally 
drew  a  fire  from  the  garrison.     They  nevertheless  suc- 
ceeded so  we  1  that  there  were  but  eight  or  ten  bodies 
elt  on  the  field,  and  those  close  under  the  influence  of 
the  fire  from  the  fort.     The  enemy  again  renewed  the 
attack  on  the  morning  of  the  first  inst.,  but  were  ulti- 
ma  ely  compelled  to  retreat  with  loss  and  disgrace  from 
that  very  field,  where  they  had  upon  a  forme?  occasion, 
been  proudly  victorious.''  ' 

Tecumseh  fought  in  the  decisive  battle  between  the  ^ 
American  troops  under  general  Wayne,  and  the  com- 
bined Indian  forces,  which  occurred  on  the  20th  of  Au 
g^st,  1794,  near  the  rapids  of  the  Miami  of  the  lakes 
It  is  not  known  whether  he  attended  the  council,  the 
evening  previous  to  the  engagement,  in  which  the  ad- 
vice of  Little  Turtle,  the  Miami  chief,  was  overruled 
by  the  influence  of  the  Shawanoe  chief,  Blue  Jacket, 
liie  ormer  was  opposed  to  giving  battle  on  tlie  follow- 
mg  day  ;  the  latter  in  favor  of  it.     As  a  brave  of  di<; 
miction,  Tecumseh  took  the  command  of  a  pal^i" 
Shawanoes  in  the  engagement,  but  had  no  participation 
n  the  plan  of  the  attack,  or  the  mode  of  carrying  i 
into  execution.     At  the  commencement  of  the  L"fon 

^rfiSitintf''""'^  ^"^^'  ^^^^  ^^^^  «f  his  brother": 
r^f\!\^     l^-  ^'''  '""'^  ^"^^^'  "^  attempting  to  load  his 

thu's'  unaC'  f  '  ""f"'  ^'^'''  '^'  P '^^der,  and  wa 
mus  unable  to  use  his  gun.    Beine  at   this  moment 

mrtv'nntil'T'  ^^  '"^"'^  ^^^'^^*'y>  ^^^'^^  back  wYth  his 
p.irty  until  they  met  another  detachment  of  Indians 


'M 


itA 


82 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


Tecumseh  urged  them  to  stand  fast  and  fight,  saying 
if  any  one  would  lend  him  a  gun,  he  would  show  them 
how  to  do  it.  A  fowUng-piece  was  handed  to  him, 
with  which  he  fought  for  some  time,  until  the  Indians 
were  again  compelled  to  give  ground.  While  tailing 
back,  he  met  another  party  of  Shawanoes,  and  although 
the  whites  were  pressing  on  them,  he  rallied  the  Indi- 
ans, and  induced  them  to  make  a  stand  in  a  tlucket. 
When  the  infantry  pressed  close  upon  them,  and  had 
discharged  their  muskets  into  the  bushes,  Tecumseh 
and  his  party  returned  their  fire,  and  then  retreated, 
until  they  had  joined  the  main  body  of  the  Indians  be- 
low the  rapids  of  the  Miami.* 

In  this  memorable  action,  which  gave  victory  to  the 
American  arms,  and  humbled  the  north-western  Indi- 
ans, WilUam  Henry  Harrison  and  Tecumseh  were  for 
the  first  time  opposed  to  each  other  in  battle.  They 
were  both  young,  and  indeed  nearly  the  same  age, 
and  both  displayed  that  courage  and  gallantry  which 
ever  afterwai'ds  signalized  their  brilliant  and  eventtul 
lives. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Tecumseh'sskil'  «s  a  hunter— declines  attending  the  treaty  of  Greenville 
in  1795— in  1  i  3  removed  to  Great  Miami— in  1798  jomed  a  party  ot 
Delawares  on  White  river,  Indiana— in  1799  attended  a  council  be- 
tween the  whites  and  Indians  near  Urbana— another  at  LhiUicothe  in 
1803— makes  an  able  speech— removes  with  the  Prophet  to  Greonyil  e, 
in  1805— the  latter  commences  prophecy ing— causes  the  death  ot  1  ete- 
boxti,  Patterson,  Coltos,  and  Joshua— governor  Harrison  s  speech  to  the 
Prophet  to  arrest  these  murderersf-eflbrt  of  Wells,  the  U.  S.  Indian  agent, 
to  prevent  Tecumseli  and  the  Prophet  from  assembling  the  Indians  at 
GreenviUe-Tecumseh's  speech  m  reply— he  attends  a  council  at  «^hi  - 
licothe— speech  on  that  occasion— councU  at  t^pnngfield— lecuraseh 
principal  speaker  and  actor. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1795,  Tecumseh  was  estab- 
lished on  Deer  creek,  near  where  Urbana  now  stands, 
and  engaged  in  his  favorite  amusement  of  hunting. 
This  was  more  as  a  pastime  than  a  matter  of  business. 


»  Anthony  Shane. 


LIVE    OF   TECUMSEH.  83 

hlHu"^"^'  ?^  property  was  not  a  distinguishiuo  trait  of 
his  character;  on  the  contrary,  his  generositvvvasnrn 
verbiai  aniong  his  tribe.     If  he  accuSatedyrs  thev' 

dL  eS  vThtn  "  rrf'^  returntr  tS,weTe 
c  useTtr.  .  '^^'^^  ^^"^-  "^  l^^^d  liunting  be- 
c.use  It  was  a  manly  exercise,  fit  for  a  brave  •  and  ^or 
the  additional  reason,  that  it  gave  him  the  means  of 
furnislnng  the  aged  and  infirm  with  whoLome  and 
nourishing  food.  The  skill  of  Tecumseh  in  thrcha  e 
has  already  been  adverted  to.     While  residing  nnn! 

w  th  him  fhftTh  "m*"'  ?"""  "S"'  proposed  to  bet 

witn  him,  that  they  could  each  kill  as  many  deer  in  tho 
space  oi  three  days,  as  he  could.     Tecumseh  nmmml,! 

^dlTi''"'  rrr-  The  parties  tooT^lhrS' 
and  at  the  end  of  the  stipulated  time,  returnedl  h  th!.' 
Bvidences  of  their  success.  None  of  the  party  exceot  • 
Tecumseh  had  more  than  twelve  deer  skins^  he  brouX  ' 
n  upwards  of  thirty-near  three  times  as  many  as  Stv 
f  his  competitors.  From  this  time  he  war/eneranv 
conceded  to  be  the  greatest  hunter  in  the  sKa^o^ 

In  the  course  of  the  summer  of  this  veir  mq^  h^ 

sTy'iir;^:,ffSf^  rvr'^^  o^ijz'i'^:^': 
Sd\r;zs.'°  '^""  "'^  '-^^^  on  whi:r;:at' 

I7q''rwr^''i"""^'"^'' ""his  place  until  the  sprin?  of 

raised  atotClli^^^or^'^^^"  '"^  ^"'"™^'^  "'  ■^". 
J?!!:MrtZ  'P*'  *e,Delawares,  then  residing  in  .' 

i.is-ioi,;w;;;:to'srtr^^^^^^^^^^^ 


\  n 


f: 


•4 


LIFE    OF    TKCUMSKH. 


I!   M 


lllllll>1  Jld; 


ing  accepted  this  invitation,  and  made  the  removal,  he 
continued  his  head  quarters  in  llie  vicinity  of  that  na- 
tion for  several  years,  occupied  in  the  ordinary  pursuits 
of  the  hunter-life— gradually  extending  his  intluence 
among  the  Indians,  and  adding  to  the  number  of  his 

party.  , ,     ,  -i 

In  1790,  there  was  a  council  held  about  six  mues 
north  of  the  place  where  Urbana  now  stands,  between 
the  Indians  and  some  of  the  principal  settlers  on  Mad 
River,  for  the  adjustment  of  ditficulties  which  had  grown 
up  between  these  parties.    Tecumseh,  with  other  Sha  w- 
anoe  chiefs,  attended  this  council     He  appears  to  have 
been  the  most  conspicuous  orator  of  the  conference, 
and  made  a  speech  on  the  occasion,  which  was  much 
admired  for  its  force  and  eloquence.     The  interpreter, 
Dechouset,  said  that  he  found  it  very  di  Tcult  to  trans- 
late the  lofty  flights  of  Tecumseh,  although  he  was  as 
Avell  acquainted  with  the  Shawanoo  language,  as  with 
the  French,  which  was  his  mother  tongue.* 

We  next  hear  of  Tecumseh,  under   circumstances 
which  show  the   confidence  reposed  in   him  by  the 
white  settlers  on  the  frontier. 
\      In  the  month  of  April,  1803,  Thomas  Herrod,  living 
sixteen  miles  north-west  of  Chillicothe,  was  shot,  toma- 
hawked, and  scalped,  near  his  own  house.     The  In- 
dians were  suspected  of  having  committed  this  deed ; 
a  wanton  and  cruel  retaliation  was  made  upon  one  of 
them,  (guiltless  no  doubt  of  that  particular  crLne,)  arid 
the  settlement  in  the  Scioto  valley  and  north-west  of  it, 
was  thrown  into  a  state  of  much  excitement.     The  In- 
dians  fled  in  one  direction  and  the  whites  in  another. 
For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  facts  in  the  case, 
and  preventing  further  hostilities,  several  patriotic  citi- 
zens of  Chillicothe  mounted  th  ii     ;)rses,  and  rode  mto 
the  Indian  country,  where  they  f  suid  Tecumseh  and  a 
body  of  Indians.     They  disavowed  all  knowledge  of 
the  murder  of  Hcvrod,  and  stated,  explicitly,  that  they 
were  peaceably  inclined,  and  disposed  to  adhere  to  the 
*  treaty  of  Greenville.     Tecumseh  finally  agreed  to  re- 
turn with  the  deputation  from   GhilUcothe,  that  he 


*  James  Galloway,  of  Xenia. 


val,  he 
lat  na- 
ursuits 
[iuence 
of  his 

[  mileM 
3 1  ween 
•n  Mad 
I  grown 
■  Shavv- 
to  have 
fereuce, 
s  much 
rpreter, 

0  trans- 
was  as 
as  with 

istances 
by  the 

1,  Uving 
it,  toma- 
The  In- 
is  deed; 

1  one  of 
ne,)  and 
est  of  it, 
The  In- 
another. 
;he  case, 
otic  citi- 
fode  into 
eh  and  a 
ledge  of 
hat  they 
ire  to  the 
?d  to  re- 

that  he 


fl 


■i 
I 


LIFE    OP   TKCUMSKH.  ^ 

7tV''  f'''°"^J^^!/^i^^i^ar  assurances  to  the  people 

by  magic,  the  apprehensions  of  S^whLs  ^1  It  ^ 
returned  to  their  de.erted  farms,  rncrbun^Ige^ 
was  resumed  throughout  that  region.--     tSs  iSm 

hi     K-!    •  '1^^  "bits  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  hv 
the  white  inhabitants  on  the  frontier.     The  dech  ation  / 
of  no  other  Indian  could  thus  have  dissipated  the  feLrs 
of  a  border  war,  which  then  pervaded  the  settlcr^ent 
Some   tmie   durino-  this  venr    m     fl!  \  sctiicment. 

camped  within  a  short  distance  Tf  he  house      ^^rX" 
after  hearing  this  unwelcome  intellieen™  L  ,ll\     ? 

PMM  with  ,  „nlCTlH„,„  _„„,^  u,  ,h„„  .'£ 

*  Colonel  John  M'Donald. 

H 


M 


66 


LIFE   OP   TECUMSEH. 


Ill  I 


baby!  big  baby!"  to  the  great  alarm  cf  the  astonished 
man,  and  to  the  amusement  of  all  present/ 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1805,  a  portion  of  the 
Shawanoe  nation,  residing  at  the  Tawa  towns  on  the. 
headwaters  of  the  Auglaize  river,  wishing  to  re-assem- 
ble their  scattered  people,  sent  a  deputation  to  lecuin- 
seh  and  his  party,  (then  hving  on  White  river,)  and  also 
to  a  body  of  the  same  tribe  upon  the  Mississiiiiway, 
another  tributary  of  the  Wabash,  inviting  them  to  re- 
move to  the  Tawa  towns,  and  join  their  brethren  at  that 
place     To  this  proposition  both  parties  assented ;  and 
the  two  bands  met  at  Greenville,  on  their  way  thither. 
There,  through  the  hifluence  of  Laulewasikaw,  they 
concluded  to  establish  themselves ;  and  accordingly  the 
project  of  going  to  the  Auglaize  was  abandoned.     V  erv 
soon  afterwards,  Laulewasikaw  assumed  tlie  ofiice  ot 
a  prophet ;  and  forthwith  commenced  that  career  ot 
cunning  and  pretended  sorcery,  which  enabled  him  to 
sway  the  Indian  mind  in  a  wonderful  degree,  and  win 
for  himself  a  name  on  the  page  of  history.     A  concise 
notice  of  his  prophetical  achievements  is  subjoined. 
While  it  serves  to  display  his  individual  character  and 
endowments,  it  also  presents  an  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive phase  of  aboriginal  character, 
i      It  happened  about  this  time  that  an  old  Shawanoe, 
named  Peuagashega,  or  the  Change  of  Feathers,  who 
had  for  some  years  been  engaged  in  the  respectable 
calling  of  a  prophet,  fell  sick  and  died.     Laulewasi- 
kaw, who  had  marked  the  old  man's  influence  with  the 
Indians,  adroitly  caught  up  the  mantle  of  the  dying 
prophet,  and  assumed  his  sacred  office.     He  changed 
his  name  from  Laulewasikaw,  to  Tenskwautawau,  t 
meaning  the  Open  Door,  because  he  undertook  to  point 
out  to  the  Indians  the  new  modes  of  life  which  they 
should  pursue.     In  the  month  of  November,  of  this 
year,  he  assembled  a  considerable  number  of  Shawa- 
noes,  Wyandots,  Ottaways  and  Senecas,  at  Wapako- 
natta,  on  the  Auglaize  river,  when  he  unfolded  to  them 


•  James  Galloway.  .„  ^_    _„  ,  ,,,„ 

t  In  the  remaining  pages  of  Ihw  worK  tms  pereon  wu,  u^  v;altc<l  ...-^ 
Prophet,  the  name  by  which  he  is  most  generally  known. 


)ni8hed 

L  of  the 
on  the 
-assera- 
recum- 
.nd  also 
iiiiway, 
Q  to  re- 
1  at  that 
ed ;  and 
thither, 
w,  they 
igly  the 
.    Very 
office  of 
ireer  of 
i  him  to 
and  win 
.  concise 
ibjoined. 
.cter  and 
.  instruc- 

awanoe, 
CIS,  who 
5|)ectabie 
.ulewasi- 
with  the 
le  dying 
changed 
itawau,  t 
.  to  point 
lich  they 
r,  of  this 
f  Shawa- 
Wapako- 
i  to  them 


y 


I.IVR   OF    TECUWSBH.  •« 

remote  tribes  of  (he  unnpr  lnL!=    '  T      "'"  ^V  "'« 

plains  wl,ich  stretd    bS  life  C"*^  °"  ■"'«  ^'"-"^ 
lime  nothing,  it  is  believed  w'''  -  ;5^  '"f"PP'-    At  this 

the  grand  co^tfedera  roHIm    ib^    fo^  T '"  "^'"^ '" 
'lie-r  lands,  wliich  shortly  afterwards  L.    '^"""V  "^ 
o{  ambition  with  his  brn  L,         .         became  an  object 
' '        which  ho  succesyinv  ?vl,  S  .     ' '"  ""^  '""herauce  of 
as  a  prophe       I  u  fs  TJ   t '""  ^'T  '""'  influence, 
i        witclfcraft    which  m.^v  of  ^  "^"i  ''I^'«l«i«>'-'d  agains  . 
"        still  more  behoved     I  e  nm  '"  ^'"^Tl  P'^'^''^^^  and 
continned  bewiSd    or  !^ZlT?t'^-  """'  '^"''^  ^^^o 
would  nev-.r  poto  heaven  J*^  '*""u  ''"■'  ""  "'hers. 
He  next  took^°n  thrsnhLr'r  T  '^'  *^"''"  Spiri' 

•       which  he  i-a.,gLd li  ,f^  :  tttt' td'':"'  ^^'''"1 
subsequently,  with  much  succe  ■?    H    ,  ',?  "PP^'^f^d 
since  he  bad  become    .LTit,    ""^  '"''^  them  that 
.       clouds ;  that  tho  S  „hce  ?ri'  f '  ''f  ^"''  "P  "«»  "'e 
»       of  the  ievil,  and  that  all  w^  ^'f  ,  ",'^"'  ""^  '-'^"e'^ng 
there,  with  fl  mes  Lsu  ni  n  'f'^'*'';'^  diunkards  werf 
!      acknowledged  tba    he   "^  llV^r  ">°""'«-     He 
'      but  that  this  aw^l  ^c  e  i«d  T^        '!  '1  .'"""k""'. 
was  the  eflect  of  his  mZft^  f'^i-'imed  lum.     Such 
vice,  that  nia,,y  of  hiJ^  foil!  '  f  "P""*'  ">'«  pernicious 
ceased  to  dri"r  L  Jfi'^?,  witer '^''/""=  alarmed,  and 
whiskey   is   sisnificanilv  .M  ,'     ^  "'"""  ^V  which 
He  likewise  Tc  a,me  ^a 'ai  ,t?  ^""^   ""^   '"^ians. 
women  intermarryLg  widfw  L'''''  '""°'"  <""  '"dian  • 
it  as  one  of  the  causfsT,    ,1^        T"' '""'  denounced    . 

other  doctrines  orhsVe  /code  Ti'W™?-  Among 
munity  of  proDertv  \  ,;!  code,  he  msjsted  on  a  com-  ^ 
those,  who  1  ke  hfmTe%  '^  "^""fortable  regulation  for 
the  acqu  sition  of"  A  'In  •°°  !"''°'^"'  '°  '^"^^  ^O' 
Ptecept  and  one  w  ichl  e!  L'"'l""'>l  """  '■'"i«>^al 
energy,  was  the  dutv  of  the  t  **  *'"'  ™"^iderable 
under  all  circumstance,  t„  ^  ""%  "'  ''"  '™es  and 
the  aged  a„d  h  fom      ijc  »"«' cherish  and  respect  / 


I: 


1^ 


r     .;* 


,ll 


'  I 


m  ii 


9§  LIFE   OP   TECUMSEH. 

ised  to  all  his  followers,  who  would  believe  his  doc 
trines  and  practice  his  precepts,  the  comforts  and  hap- 
piness which  their  forefathers  enjoyed  before  they  were 
debased  by  their  connection  with  the  whites  And 
J  finally  proclaimed,  with  much  solemnity,  that  he  had 
received  power  from  the  Great  Spirit,  to  cure  all  dis- 
eases, to  confound  his  enemies,  and  stay  the  arm  ol 
death,  in  sickness,  or  on  the  battle  field. 

Such  is  the  superstitious  credulity  of  the  Indians,  that 
this  crafty  impostor  not  only  succeeded  lor  a  time,  in 
correcting  many  of  the  vices  of  his  followers  but  like- 
wise  influenced  them  to  the  perpetration  of  outrages 
upon  each  other,  shocking  to  humanity.     It  an  individ- 
ual, and  especially  a  chief,  was  supposed  to  be  hos  Ue 
to  his  plans,  or  doubted  the  vahdity  of  hi.  claim  to  the 
character  of  a  prophet,  he  was  denounced  as  a  witch, 
and  the  loss  of  reputation,  if  not  of  life,  speedily  follow- 
ed.     Among  the  first  of  his  victims  were  several  De  a- 
wares,— Tatepocoshe  (more  generally  kuow-n  as  lete- 
boxti,  Patterson,  his  nephew,  Coltos,  an  old  woman, 
and  an  aged  man  called  Joshua.     Theso  we^e  siiccess- 
ively  marked  by  the  Prophet,  and  doomed  to  be  burnt 
alive     The  tragedy  was  commenced  with  the  old  wo- 
man.    The  Indians  roasted  her  slowly  over  a  fire  for 
four  days,  calling  upon  her  frequently  to  deliver  up  hei 
charm  Ind  medicine  bag.     Just  as  she  was  dying,  she 
exclaimed  that  her  grandson,  who  was  then  on    hunt- 
me,  had  it  in  his  possession.     Messengers  weie   sent 
n  pursuit  of  him,  and  when  found  he  was  lied  and 
brought  into  camp.     He   acknowledged  that  on  one 
occasion  he  had  borrowed  the  charm  ot  his  grandmo- 
ther by  means  of  which  he  had  flown  through  the  aii^ 
ovei'  Kentucky,  to  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
back  apain,  between  twilight  and  bed-time  ;  but  he  in- 
sisted that  he  had  returned  the  charm  to  its  owner ;  and 
after  some  consultation,  he  was  set  at  liberty.      1  he 
following  day,  a  council  was  held  over  the  case  of  the 
venerable  chief  Tatepocoshe,  he  being  present.     His 
death  was  decided  upon  after  full  deliberation;  and, 
^el  m  his  finest^.pparel,  I.  calml^^ 
buildins  his  own  luneral  pfle,  fully  awa.^  tx....  •-^^- 
was  no  escape  from  the  judgment  that  had  been  passed 


m 


is  doc- 
id  hap- 
y  were 
And 
tie  had 
all  dis- 
arm of 

ns,  that 
time,  in 
ut  like- 
lutragcs 
individ- 
hostile 
n  to  the 
a  witch, 
follow- 
al  Dela- 
as  Tete- 
woman, 
success- 
be  burnt 
old  wo- 
1  fire  for 
sr  up  her 
ynng,  she 
lUt  hunt- 
ere   sent 
lied  and 
t  on  one 
jrandmo- 
h  the  air, 
ippi,  and 
3Ut  he  in- 
mer ;  and 
:ty.     The 
ise  of  the 
ent.     His 
ion;  and, 
ssisted  in 

iUnt     thpVO 

Lllt-Vl      •■  ' 

en  passed 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


o9 


was  deliberately  tomahawked  b""  ""'"'^-     "^ 

his  body  was  then  nlacedT.nnn  .7   n  '"'""^. '"""'  """^ 
co„s..Jd.     The"nttayfr'old 'Treal^Pr^''"'' 

coLcii  hot4  ^:[';;s  ;rh;"s-;,'e  '^S'lc  r^ 

\  led  an   irreproachable  life    anH  rl  l^.i  n  Z^^*^  ^^^ 

ins,  "the  devi    1,^1  „„  "  returned, a,/i  exelaim- 

Pr^h^t^'n^d'lJ^riSg^rif  o'Sel^i-J,''"^  '°  '"! 
himself  in  the  midst  ot  iLcvLf  ^ht    ''^rl"^ 

impostor-.  .nSe^li^nV-^tirS^JLr^^^^^  '•'>« 
Te,';!^^ryT^^tm&°i'r''  ^"r"""'  "^ '"''--  ' 

messenger  to  them  ^ith  tL  follS  speec"h  "  TTl 
reached  them  a  little  o-^rUm-     ""^^"^s  speech.     Had  it 

m    e^e^s',!!fSi;j^LS  l  ff^  ^'''^  ^^^  -" 
reached  me.     You  have  Vln'    i  ?^  "'''^'  ^'^'<='i  has 

dom  above  all  the  , rites  of  re/'''''f '''*/"  ^^^  ^*^- 
great  island  Your  f^me  -.f  """"P'"  .'*'''<'  '°''^''''  'his 
the  remotest  .mio Ls  and  hr™T  ^^^/^"^"ded  to 
has  gained  fo  von  th^o^i,  "'''""  "^  y°"'  <='>iefs 
fron,  all  the  leihbo  L  ?°k"'"'°?,  "''  grandfathers, 
then,  does  i  Drocid  r?  '"''f''     '''''""  ^^at  cause 


ir  2 


*f'l!| 


/»,' 


L'i"' 


\^H■.<■ 


i 


§0  L1F£    OF    TECUM8EU. 

which  you  liave  abandoned.    The  dark,  crooked  and 
thorny  one  which  you  are  now  pursuing,  will  certainly 
lead  to  endless  woe  and  misery.     But  who  is  this  pre- 
tended prophet,  who  dares  to  speak  in  the  name  ot  the 
Great  Creator  ?    Examine  him.     Is  he  more  wise  or 
virtuous  than  you  are  yourseb-es,  that  he  should  be  se- 
lected to  convey  to  you  the  o,     '  s  of  your  God  ?     De- 
mand of  him  somo  proofs  at  least,  ot  his  being  tUo 
messenger  of  the  Deity.     If  God  has  really  employed 
him,  he  has  doubtless  authorized  him  to  perform  mira- 
cles, tliat  he  may  be  known  and  received  as  a  pi-ophet. 
If  he  is  really  a  prophet,  ask  of  him  to  cause  the  sun 
to  stand  still— the  moon  to  alter  its  course— the  rivers 
to  cease  to  flow— or  the  dead  to  rise  from  their  graves. 
If  he  does  these  things,  you  may  then  believe  that  he 
has  been  sent  from  God.     He  tells  you  that  the  Great 
Spirit  commands  you  to  punish  with  death  those  who 
deal  in  magic  -,  and  that  he  is  authorized  to  point  them 
out.     Wretched  delusion !     Is  then  the  Master  of  Lite 
obliged  to  employ  mortal  man  to  punish  those  who  ot- 
fend  him?     Has  he  not  the  thunder  and  all  the  powers 
of  nature  at  his  command  ?— and  could  he  not  sweep 
away  from  the  earth  a  whole  nation  with  one  motion 
of  his  arm  ?    My  children :  do  not  believe  that  the  great 
and  good  Creator  of  mankind  has  directed  you  to  de- 
stroy your  own  flesh;  and  do  not  doubt  but  that  if  you 
pursue  this  abominable  wickedness,  his  vengeance  will 
overtake  and  crush  you. 

«  The  above  is  addressed  to  vou  m  the  name  ot  the 
Seventeen  Fires.  I  now  speak  to  you  from  myself,  as 
a  friend  who  wishes  nothing  more  sincerely  than  to 
see  you  prosperous  and  happy.  Clear  your  eyes,  I  be- 
seech you,  from  the  mist  which  surrounds  them.  JNo 
lont^er  be  imposed  upon  by  the  arts  of  an  impostor. 
Drive  him  from  your  town,  and  let  peace  and  harmony 
once  more  prevail  amongst  you.  Let  your  poor  old 
men  and  women  sleep  in  quietness,  and  banish  trom 
their  minds  the  dreadful  idea  of  being  burnt  alive  by 
their  own  friends  and  countrymen.  I  charge  you  to 
stop  your  bloody  career;  and  if  you  value  the  Irieiid^- 
ship  of  your  great  father,  the  FresidGut— if  you  wis.. 
to  preserve  the  good  opinion  of  the  Seventeen  Fires, 


1 


d  and 
tainly 
Ls  pro- 
of the 
ise  or 
be  se- 
'  De- 
ig  the 
ployed 
I  mira- 
•ophet. 
he  sun 

rivers 
graves, 
hat  he 
J  Great 
se  who 
it  ihem 
of  Life 
irho  of- 
powers 

sweep 
motion 
le  great 
.1  to  de- 
t  if  you 
ice  will 

3  of  the 
yself,  as 
than  to 
es,  I  he- 
rn. No 
npostor. 
larmony 
30or  old 
sh  from 
alive  by 
!  you  to 
3  friend- 

in  Fires, 


I'Ua  ov  xjcc 


9 


i 


!.lL'?!.li'^^*^y  ^(!«  »'«tiirn  of  the 


UMSJBH.  (J  I 

in  trbTshlng'^nflu'etf  Zi;^'  T  '^  --«"W 
while  over  life  Kicknnnnf  h"""'  "'^  Delaware.: 

chiels  were  opnosed  tn  i,i..,        i  ""-  »hawaaoe 

'lifficulties  among  tl"e^Indls        "'"''  *"'  "=''""'"8 

edlV'Sr^ioT^'flrnT"  "-'•^■-"•"seb  favor- 
<ate  has  been  detailed  On  thr''''.  ^'"''^  """^"PPy 
by  a  credible  autho  Uy  t  tha  ha\Z""'^' '.'  ''  ««'^d 

Throughout  (he  vear  i  Rn«    ,h    l''P'?°"'<^ '°  "• 
at  Greenville,  and  were  vli?fi  f"  '"'""'''■'  '•^'"«in«d 
diflerent  tribes  notlwlfi    by  many  Indians  from 

and  claimed  to  have  hfi  '"""y  ^vonderfnl  dreams: 
made  to  Wm  The  ireat  en!^  ^"Pornatural  revelations' 
curred  in  the  sZSTjt'^"'  °'  ""=  *""  ^"hich  oc- 
which  hehad  hv  "m  ^  ""'  y""'  «  knowledge  of 
carry  eonvicdot^o  the  ZT  "r"""""*'  ""^^led  l5m  ?! 
'■ollowers,  tS  he  41'  Te^f^  ?f  """"l?^  '"^  '8"°«'n' 
Great  Spirit     He  hini       "^  "'"  "'"''f^'r  agent  of  the 

•hat  on  a  certain  day  hi  wTih""'"  "!  "'^  unbeliever^! 
supernatural  powerl'  by  bri,iifrH"'r'  P™'"'''^  his 
™n.  When  the  day  Z  houfof- .h"*"",''"  °^"  "'« 
and  the  earth,  even  at  mirt^=  '"  f ''P'"  ''™^ed, 

gloom  of  twm4t  Uie  P,ot;  7' r  v*™"<l«'i  '«  «he 
of  his  part^  S  i"  «he  midst 

cried  ollt,  "didCt  p  LVeTtru  v>  'R'^rr'i  ^""^ 
less  has  shrouded  the  sun?'/  r,  5  ^j"?'^'  ''^'■''■ 
posed  that  this  «rlvf„!     L      "  ""^^  ^^^^'^Y  he  sup-  y 

-ed,  produeldl  s1iVpt"r„T,h  "l-J ^'^""'y 

Sr^^h^ "  •-eirL^fTtre  ^"c^d  ^Sr^"]^ 

most  of  them  hishlv  ev^f,^  /  ".''""'^'"^^  Mians, 
__ !r""  "'ggjy_ excited  by  religious  fanaticism  • 

T  Anthony  Shane. 


"jfi 


,'"•1 


y] 


^ 


°^f 


o;i 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1^ 


2.5 

M 

1.8 


L25  IIIIU   III!!  1.6 


-    6" 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


/ 


o 


i^   f/4 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.V.  M580 

(716)  87.2-4*03 


4^ 


P4^ 


Hf 


% 


'/. 


^ 


9f 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


and  ready,  it  was  feared,  for  any  enterprise  on  which 
these  brothers  might  be  disposed  to  lead  them.  Con- 
siderable apprehension  was  entertained  for  the  safety 
of  the  frontiers,  and  several  fruitless  efforts  were  made 
to  ascertain  the  ulterior  objects  of  the  leaders.  William 
Wells,  then  Indian  agent  at  fort  Wayne,  despf\tched 
Anthony  Shane,  a  half-blood  Shawanoe,  with  a  com- 
munication to  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet,  requesting 
them  and  two  other  of  their  chiefs,  to  -v  isit  him  at  fort 
Wayne,  that  he  might  read  to  them  a  letter  which  he 
had  just  received  from  their  great  father,  the  President 
of  the  United  States. 

A  council  being  called,  Shane  made  known  the  ob- 
ject of  his  mission.     Tecumseh,  without  consulting 
with  those  around  him,  immediately  arose  and  said  to 
the  messenger, «  go  back  to  fort  Wayne,  and  tell  captain 
Wells,  that  my  fire  is  kindled  on  the  spot  appointed  by 
the  Great  Spirit  above ;  and,  if  he  has  any  thing  to 
communicate  to  me,  he  must  come  here : — I  shall  ex- 
pect him  in  six  days  from  this  time."     With  this  laco- 
nic, but  dignified  reply,  the  conference  ended.     The 
agent  at  fort  Wayne  declined  waiting  on  Tecumseh,  in 
person,  but  on  the  appointed  day,  sent  Shane  back  to 
Greenville,  with  a  copy  of  the  President's  communica- 
ti(^contained  in  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  at  War ; 
Ni  the  substance  of  which  was,  that  Tecumseh  and  his 
party  being  established  within  the  limits  of  the  gover- 
nor's purchase  from  the  Indians,  they  were  desired  to 
remove  to  some  point  beyond  the  boundaries  agreed 
upon  by  the  treaty  of  Greenville ;  and,  in  case  of  iheir 
compliance,  the  government  would  afford  them  assist- 
ance, until  they  were  properly  established  at  their  new 
post.    A  second  council  was  assembled,  and  the  com- 
munication fully  interpreted  to  those  present.    Tecum- 
seh felt  indignant  that  captain  Wells  had  not  visited 
him  in  person.     He  arose  deeply  excited,  and  turning 
to  his  followers,  addressed  them  in  a  long,  glowing  and 
impassioned  speech,  in  which  he  dwelt  upon  the  inju- 
ries the  Indians  had  received  from  the  whites,  and 
especially  the  continued  encroachments  of  the  latter 
upon  the  lands  of  the  red  .i.en:  "These  lands,"  said  he 
in  conclusion,  "  are  ours :  no  one  iias  a  right  to  remove 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH.  g^ 

our  fires,  a„Ee  wet i5  r^mlTn  "\?7t*'=''  '5  '^^t 
the  Great  Spirit  above  t  o,,;f  V  ^*.'''  *"'»nda"es, 
his  red  people  acWiedgelL""  '°""'*"'^^'  °"  ^^i" 

bold  argumenUvrandTwerful '" ^  w^'T^^- 
with  great  vehpmon.i     powenul.     It  was  delivered 

After  f  ZmeMT^^u'  T  **  "^""Pu  *"<'«"^'"  f««ling- 

nerf  which  he  cTuW  ^f  ^'""'y.'ndifference  of  man- 
council,  "Vf  my  g^el^a^hrfh'^^^  ^f"™*  *hen  in 
enteen  Fires  TJlZ'/h^'  ^*  P'^^sident  of  the  Sev- 

send  a  man  of  note 'Lf  L"^  T'  '°  '''^ '"  ""«'  »>«  ™"st 
further  intercourU  iZT^"  '  "'"  ''""^  ^ 

v.»rkt?or:tut^^^^  rrsi*^  i 

pt=eXts  tt^S.S'3V°- ^^^^^^  '^' 
can  talk  to  him-I  ca„  h?i^»  ^  i  u"  '"^  "*""" '  ' 
me-nay  mo™  1  can  H^Sk  *"^''  ''f  ^««°  him  and 
what  w^ite  man  can  do  &  '  Whh'fh  "^  ,M' «"'' 
cation,  the  council  terminated  '  ^If-glorifi- 

cloi'^'o/MayTUn^t"'''*.'."  i""^^*^'  ""^  «'  *«  ^ 

bled,  runners  with  pipes  and  belt^.T  '^^''^ ''''*™- 
from  tribe  to  tribe,  and  stronlvfil„  ^-nP"™,  went 
men  movement  amon»  .hi  ^i  T  u  °'^"""«  ""<=">"- 
parent.     The  BrS  f  inl       '™  ''"'='""«  <!""«  ^P- 

this  excitement  and  in^Sfn^  tt'^V"  ^"""-"""S 
curaseh  and  hi's  hm  h„,   '  i?    ^  ,*^."^"^"ce  of  Te- 

carefully  concealed  frn^   t"^  "'•^"°'  °^i^*^  were 

States,  and  such  l„dk^.h,f  "^""'^  °^  *«   United 

friendly  to  our  governmenf '^^  ''  '^^^  '^^^^  '<>  ^-^ 

nortn-western  portions  of  the-stTte;  "Se"  fnSaTfo^ 


r,.;: 


04 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


Wayne  and  at  Greenville,  who  were  supposed  to  be 
under  the  influence  of  the  Prophet,  amounted  to  be- 
tween seven  and  eight  hundred,  most  of  them  equipped 
with  new  rifles.  These  facts  being  communicated  to 
the  governor  of  Ohio,  he  directed  his  attention  to  the 
subject,  and,  in  the  early  part  of  September,  despatch- 
ed Thomas  Worthington  and  Duncan  McArthur,  to 
Greenville,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a  conference 
with  the  Prophet  and  Tecumseh,  and  ascertaining  the 
object  of  their  assembling  so  large  a  body  of  Indians, 
within  the  limits  of  the  cession  of  land  made  by  them 
at  the  treaty  of  1795.  These  commissioners  left  Chilli- 
cothe  on  the  8th  of  September,  and  reached  Greenville 
on  the  12th,  where  they  were  courteously  received  by 
the  Indians.  They  were  fortunate  in  securing  the  ser- 
vices of  Stephen  Ruddell,  as  their  interpreter,  who  had 
resided  for  seventeen  years  among  the  Indians,  and 
Was  famihar  with  the  Shawanoe  language.  On  the 
day  of  their  arrival,  the  commissioners  were  invited  to 
a  general  council  of  the  Indians,  at  which  the  letter  of 
the  governor  was  read,  and  interpreted  to  the  Shawa- 
noes,  Potawatamies  and  Chippewas.  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  an  address  from  the  commissioners,  referring 
to  the  past  relations  between  the  United  States  and  the 
Indians,  the  policy  pursued  towards  the  latter  by  Great 
Britain,  and  the  importance  of  their  remaining  neutral, 
in  case  of  a  war  between  that  country  and  the  United 
States.  On  the  following  d'^^'-.  Blue  Jacket,  who,  it 
was  announced,  had  been  authv^rized  by  all  the  Indians 
present,  to  speak  for  them,  replied  to  the  commJssioners 
as  follows  : 

"Brethren — We  are  seated  who  heard  you  yester- 
day. You  will  get  a  true  relation,  as  far  as  we  and 
our  connections  can  give  it,  who  are  as  follows  :  Shaw- 
anoes,  Wyandots,  Potawatamies,  Tawas,  Chippewas, 
Winnepaus,  Malominese,  Malockese,  Secawgoes,  and 
one  more  from  the  north  of  the  Chippewas.  Brethren 
— you  see  all  these  men  sitting  before  you,  who  now 
speak  to  you. 

"About  eleven  days  ago  we  had  a  council,  at  which 
the  tribe  of  Wyandots,  (the  elder  brother  of  the  red 
people)  spoke  and  said  God  had  kindled  a  fire  and  all 


salar< 
ties  w 
dot  sa 
Allegl 
No  mi 
Ameri 
told  th 
the  wa 
cans,  \ 
officers 
back. 

"Afl 

Ameri( 

out,  th( 

told  the 

they  m 

of  fire  i 

ther  in 

be  war 

the  Am 

ings  w€ 

of  the  ] 

and  at 

that  car] 

refuge, 

are  paii 

saw  the 

see  ther 

they  are 

interfere 

"Furt 

tie  brotl 

our  link 

Greenvil 

verse. 

brethren 

which  si 

selves  in 

brethren, 

around  y 

the  Wya: 

ft  is  not 


tIPE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


95 


sat  aromid  It  In  this  council  we  talked  over  the  trea- 
ties  wah  the  French  and  the  Americans.  The  Wvan 
do  said,  the  French  formerly  marked  a  line  aloS 
AHeghany  mountains,  southerly,  to  Charleston, Ts  C  ) 
No  man  was  to  pass  it  from  either  side.  Whin  the 
Americans  came  to  settle  over  the  line,  the  En.]  sh 
told  the  Indians  to  unite  and  drive  off  the  French  untU 
the  war  came  on  between  the  British  and  the  Amer 
cans,  when  it  was  told  them  that  king  Georg^,  bThi 
offi^rs,directed  them  to  unite  and  drivl  the  A^e'fcans 

"After  the  treaty  of  peace  between  the  English  and 
Americans,  the  summer  before  Wayne's  armv  came 

told  them  f  they  would  turn  out  and  unite  as  one  man 
^ey  might  surround  the  Americans  like  deerTaS 
of  fire  and  destroy  them  all.     The  Wyandot  spoke  fur! 
ther  m  the  council.     We  see,  said  he.  there  is  like  to 
be  war  between  the  English  and  ou,  .vhite  brXren^ 
the  Americans.     Let  us  unite  and  consider  the  suffer- 
mgs  we  have  undergone,  from  interfering  in  the  wars 
of  the  English     They  have  often  promisid  to  heb  us 
and  at  last,  when  we  could  not  withstand  the  armv 
that  came  against  us,  and  went  to  the  English  fort  for 
refuge,  the  English  told  us,  "  I  cannot  let  |ou  in    you 
are  painted  too  much,  my  children.-     It  was  then  we 
saw  the  British  dealt  treacherously  with  us.     We  ntfw 
see  them  going  to  war  again.     We  do  not  know  what 
they  are  going  to  fight  for.     Let  us,  my  brethren  not 
interfere,  was  the  speech  of  the  Wyandot 

"Further,  the  Wyandot  said,  I  speak  to  you,  mv  lit- 
tle brother,  the  Shawanoes  at  Greenville,  and  to  vou 
our  httle  brothers  all  around.      You  appear  to  be  at 
Greenville  to  serve  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the   uni- 
verse.     Now  send   forth  your   speeches  to  all  our 
brethren  far  around  us,  and  let  us  unito  to  seek  for  that 
which  shall  be  for  our  eternal  welfare,  and  unito  our- 
selves in  a  band  of  perpetual  brotherhood.     These 
brethren,  are  the  sentiments  of  all  the  men  who  sit 
fhf  w  ^""^  ;  *u®^  all  adhere  to  what  the  elder  brother, 
me  Wyandot,  has  said,  and  these  are  their  sentiments. 
It  IS  not  that  they  are  afraid  of  their  white  brethren. 


r  ."s 


J, 


ill! 


'  I  'I 


ri' 


m 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


11  \ 


but  that  they  desire  peace  and  harmony,  and  not  that 
their  white  brethren  could  put  them  to  great  necessity, 
for  their  former  arms  were  bows  and  arrows,  by  which 
they  got  their  Hving." 

The    commissioners  made    some    explanations    m 
reply,  when  they  were  told  that  the  Prophet  would 
assign  the  reasons  why  the   Indians  had  settled  at 
Greenville.    "  He  then  proceeded  to  inform  us,"  says 
the  report, « that  about  three  years  since,  he  became 
convinced  of  the  error  of  his  ways,  and  that  he  would 
be  destroyed  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  if  he  did  not 
amend  them  j  that  it  was  soon  after  made  known  to 
him  what  he  should  do  to  be  right ;  that  from  that  time 
he  constantly  preached  to  his  red  brethren  the  misera- 
ble situation  they  were  in  by  nature,  and  endeavored 
to  convince  them  that  they  must  change  their  lives, 
live  honestly,  and  be  just  in  all  their  dealings,  kind  to- 
wards one  another,  and  their  white  brethren:  affection- 
ate towards  th&ir  families,  put  away  lying  and  slander- 
ing, and  serve  the  Great  Spirit  in  the  way  he  had  point- 
ed out ;  never  think  of  war  again ;  that  at  first  the  Lord 
did  not  give  them  the  tomahawk  to  go  to  war  with  one 
another.     His  red  brethren,  the  chiefs  of  the  Shawanoes 
at  Tawa  town,  would  not  listen  to  him,  but  persecuted 
him.     This  produced  a  division  in  the  nation ;  those 
who  adhered  to  him,  separated  themselves  from  their 
brethren  at  Tawa  town,  removed  with  and  settled 
where  he  now  was,  and  where  he  had  constantly 
preached  the  above  doctrines  to  all  the  strangers  who 
came  to  see  them.    They  did  not  remove  to  this  place 
because  it  was  a  pretty  place,  or  very  valuable,  for  it 
was  neither ;  but  because  it  was  revealed  to  him  that 
the  place  was  a  proper  one  to  establish  his  doctrines ; 
that  he  meant  to  adhere  to  them  while  he  lived ;  they 
were  not  his  own,  nor  were  they  taught  him  by  man, 
but  by  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  universe ;  that  his 
future  life  should  prove  to  his  white  brethren  the  sincer- 
ity of  his  professions.    He  then  told  us  that  six  chiefs 
should  go  with  us  to  Chillicothe." 

The  commissioners  left  Greenville  entirely  con- 
vinced of  the  sincerity  of  the  Prophet  in  his  de- 
claration  of   pacific   intentions   towards  the   United 


States 

ta,  (o] 

to  the 

confer 

ances 

ville  f( 

These 

the  coi 

them  a 

iuterpr 

in  the  i 

occupi( 

His  , 

ties  um 

and  we 

knowie 

thbes ; 

intense 

and  vol 

it,  as  p 

of  orate 

and  vel 

gestures 

tenance 

his  min 

prudent 

validity 

ed  his  i 

white  se 

all  inter 

The  resi 

nor,  thai 

from  th( 

as  a  con: 

to  servic 

returned 

In  thf 

name  of 


m 


m 


Ll¥&    OF    TECUMSEH.  gy 

.!!*m;*p  ''^'"i'L'^Hf '  'J'?™'nseh,  Blue  Jacket,  Sti-agh- 

a,  (or  Roundhead    and  Panther,  accompan  ed  then. 

to  the  seat  of  government,  for  the  purpose  of  hold  „'  a 

ancer,hS  The  indf  '"'""'''' '  ""^  giving  hi,n  assJ.r^ 
ances  that  the  Indians  were  not  assemblins  at  Grepn 

Th!/°V''"  P"P°'«  °^'"^'^'"g  ^"  upot/Sfe  fron  ier," 
These  chieis  remained  about  a  week  in  Chillicothe  fn 

he  course  of  which  a  public  council  was  held  betw^e^ 

te™?^,er     ir ""h     ^'^P^"  ^"'''^^"  acted  alZ 
interpreter.     Tecumseh  was  the  principal  speaker  •  and 

m  the  course  of  the  conference,  made  a  speech  which 
occupied  three  hours  in  the  delivery 

His  great  object  was  to  prove  the  nullity  of  the  trea-  , 
ties  under  which  the  whites  claimed  the  count  v  north 
and  west  of  the  Ohio.     He  seemed  to  have  a  famUiar 
knowledge  of  all  the  treaties  made  with  the  western 
tMes;  reviewed  them  in  their  order,  and  with  the  mo" 

and  vo'id     Th"'  '"'\''''?'  '^''"''""'^'^'i  them  asZi 
and  void.    This  speech  is  described  by  one  t  who  hrard 

It,  as  possessing  all  the  characteristics  of  a  S  effort 
of  oratory.  The  utterance  of  the  speaker  was  rapTd 
and  vehement ;  his  manner  bold  and  commaSo.  hu 
gestures  nnpass  oned,  quick  and  violent,  and  h  ""coun- 
tenance indicating  that  there  was  someth  ng  more  " 
his  mind,  struggling  for  utterance,  than  he  de^ed 
prudent  to  express.  While  he  fearlessly  deniS  the 
validity  of  these  ^.e/e«</.rf  treaties,  and  o^penly  avow! 
ed  his  intention  to  resist  the  further  extension  of  the 

The?esu    Lf  „        "?7^'  "P°"  *''-«  U'-i'^'i  States, 
ine  result  was,  a  conviction  on  the  part  of  the  o-over   ^ 

nor,  that  no  immediate  danger  was  to  be  apprehended 

from  the  Indians,  at  Greenville  and  fort  Wayne    aiS^ 

as  a  consequence,  the  militia  which  had  been  call'ed  ^I 

etumed  mT'  T'f  '"  ""  '^'^^^'^^'l'  ^"^  *e  chiefs 
returned  to  their  head  quarters. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year,  a  white  man  hv  th^ 

»an«  of  Myers,  was  killed^a  few  mesw^Zf^lht^l 


m 

'W 


f 


y     ■      t  I    : 


If 


f 


ILti 


'■■m 


L/PE   or   TECUMSEH 

the  town  of  Urbana  now  stands,  by  some  straggling 
Indians.    This  murder,  taken  in  connection  with  the 
assemblage  of  the  Indians  under  Tecumseh  and  the 
Prophet,  created  a  great  alarm  on  the  frontier,  and  ac- 
tually induced  many  famiUes  to  remove  back  to  Ken 
tucky,  from  whence  they  had  emigrated.     A  demand 
was  made  by  the  whites  upon  these  two  brothei^  for 
the  Indians  who  had  committed  the  murder.     They 
denied  that  it  was  done  by  their  party,  or  with  their 
knowledge,  and  declared  that  they  did  not  even  know 
who  the  murd-^rers  were.     The  alarm  continued,  and 
some  companies  of  militia  were  called  out.     It  was 
finally  agreed,  that  a  council  should  be  held  on  the 
subject  in  Springfield,  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  the 
settlements.     Genered  Whiteman,  major   Moore,  cap- 
tain Ward  and  one  or  two  others,  acted  as  commission- 
ers on  the  part  of  the  whites.     Two  parties  of  Indians 
attended  the  council;  one  from  the  north,  in  charge 
of  McPherson ;  the  other,  consisting  of  sixty  or  seven 
ty,  came  from  the  neighborhood  of  fort  Wayne,  under 
the  charge  of  Tecumseh.     Roundhead,  Blackfieh,  and 
several  other  chiefs,  were  also  present.     There  was  no 
friendly  feeUng  between  these  two  parties,  and  each 
was  willing  that  the  blame  of  the  murder  should  be 
fixed  upon  the  other.     The  party  under  McPherson,  m 
compliance  with  the  wishes  of  the  commissioners,  left 
their  arms  a  few  miles  from  Springfield.     Tecumseh 
and  his  party  refused  to  attend  the  council,  unless  per- 
mitted to  retain  their  arms.     After  the  conference  was 
opened,  it  being  held  in  a  maple  grove,  a  little  north  ot 
where  Werden's  hotel  now  stands,  the  commissioners, 
fearing  some  violence,  made  another  effort  to  induce 
Tecumseh  to  lay  aside  his  arms.    This  he  again  refus 
ed,  saying,  in  reply,  that  his  tomahawk  was  also  hii 
pipe,  and  that  he  might  wish  to  use  it  in  that  capaca 
ty  before  their  business  was  closed.     At  this  moment^ 
a  tall,  lank-sided  Pennsylvanian,  who  was  standing 
among  the  spectators,  and  who,  perhaps,  had  no  love 
for  the  shining  tomahawk  of  the  self-willed  chief,  cau 
tiously  approached,  and  handed  him  an  old,  long  stem- 
med, dirty  looking  earthen  pipe,  intimating,  that  if  Te- 
cumseh would  deliver  up  the  fearful  tomahawk,  he 


f' 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


99 


I 


might  smoke  the  aforesaid  pipe.  The  chief  took  it  be 
twee,,  Ins  thumb  and  finge?,  held  it  up,  looked  at  t  for 
a  moment,  then  at  the  owner,  who  was  gradualfy  reee' 
it  i^rJ'"  r"'  °^  '''■'"S^^'  '""^  ™media"el7threw 
bVl^  The  if'"'  ™'''"'  °^'='^  ^''  head,  into  the 
pr^ote'dedL'burr""'""  '''"^''  '"«  I""'"''  -<» 
After  a  full  and  patient  enquiry  into  the  facts  of  tho 
case.  It  appeared  that  the  .Murder  of  Myers,  was  the 

eUhef  p^rt;"  or.t'"'!  ""f  ""'  i"^"^  chai^gSbrupo, 
mad  J  If^^  If  l"*^";?'-  ^•'^'^f'*'  speeches  were 
made  by  the  chiefs,  but  Tecumseh  was  the  princinal 
speaker.  He  gave  a  full  explanation  of  he  ?Sw?of 
the  Prophet  and  himself,  in  calling  around  them  a  ba^d 

"he  Uurdlfair^'H*'/"-  "T'f  intentions  towaMs 
me  ututed  States,  and  denied  that  he  or  those  under 

whit'rtis  mar'"'"^  ""^  aggressionsu^ort 

fluent  and^r^nTn"^'  '^''1"  'P^'''''"^'  "^"^  animated, 

fhose'  ^e"  en?^  Tt?e"^  """^f .'  '"""^  impression  upon' 
mose  present.      The  council  terminated.     In  the  cour.sp 

of  It,  the  two  hostile  parties  became  reconc  led  to  each 

other,  and  quiet  was  restored  to  the  frontier. 

the  Indians  remained  in  Springfield  for  three  ,!»„= 

and  on  several  occasions  amuW  Lmselves  by  enga^i' 

ing  in  various  sames  and  other  athletic  exercises  fn 

msttrenl?h"''!5  g«"«>--"y  Proved  himself  vTtorSus 
His  strength,  and  power  of  muscular  action,  were  re 

Sed  L^''^''  'f*  '"  '''"  "P'"'""  °f  'h°«e  who  at- 
tended the  council,  corresponded  with  the  high  order 
of  his  moral  and  intellectual  character.*  ^ 

•  Dr.  Hunt  ~ 


*n;;i 


m 


100 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSKH. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Governor  Harrison's  address  to  tho  Shawanoe  chiefs  at  (»recnville— tho 
Prophet's  reply— his  influence  felt  among  tho  remote  tribes— he  is  visit- 
ed in  1808  by  great  numbers  of  Indians — Tecurnseh  and  the  Prophet 
remove  to  Tippeciinoe — the  latter  sends  a  speech  to  governor  Harrison 
— raaltes  him  a  visit  at  Vincennea. 

The  alarm  caused  by  the  assembling  of  the  Indians 
at  Greenville,  still  continuing,  governor  Harrison,  in 
the  autumn  of  this  year,  sent  to  the  head  chiefs  of  the 
Shawanoe  tribe,  by  John  Conner,  one  of  our  Indian 
agents,  the  following  address : — 

«  My  Children — Listen  to  me,  I  speak  m  the  name 
of  your  father,  the  great  chief  of  the  Seventeen  Fires. 

«  My  children,  it  is  now  twelve  years  since  the  toma- 
hawk, which  you  had  raised  by  the  advice  of  your 
father,  the  king  of  Great  Britain,  was  buried  at  Green- 
ville, in  the  presence  of  that  great  warrior,  general 
Wayne. 

"My  children,  you  then  promised,  and  the  Great 
Spirit  heaTd  it,  that  you  would  in  future  live  in  peace 
and  friendship  with  your  brothers,  the  Americans.  You 
made  a  treaty  with  your  father,  and  one  that  contained 
a  number  of  good  things,  equally  beneficial  to  all  the 
tribes  of  red  people,  who  were  parties  to  it. 

"My  children,  you  promised  in  that  treaty  to  ac- 
loiow ledge  no  other  father  than  the  chief  of  the  Seven- 
teen Fires;  and  never  to  listen  to  the  proposition  of 
any  foreign  nation.  You  promised  never  to  lift  up  the 
tomahawk  against  any  of  your  father's  children,  and 
to  give  him  notice  of  any  other  tribe  that  intended  it : 
your  father  also  promised  to  do  something  for  you, 
particularly  to  deliver  to  you,  every  year,  a  certain 
quantity  of  goods;  to  prevent  any  white  man  from 
setthng  on  your  lands  without  your  consent,  or  to  do 
you  any  personal  injury.  He  promised  to  run  a  line 
between  your  land  and  his,  so  that  you  might  know 
your  own ;  and  you  were  to  be  permitted  to  live  and 
hunt  upon  your  father's  land,  as  long  as  you  behaved 
yourselves  well.  My  children,  which  of  these  articles 
has  your  father  broken  ?     You  know  that  he  has  ob- 


I.IPE    OF    TECUM8EH. 


101 


served  them  ail  with  the  utmost  good  faith.  But,  my 
children,  have  you  done  so  ?  Have  you  not  always 
had  your  ears  open  to  receive  bad  advice  from  the 
white  people  beyond  the  lakes? 

T  "^^y  c^''*'<^'*6»'  'et  us  look  back  to  times  that  are  past. 
It  has  been  a  long  time  since  you  called  the  king  of 
Great  Britain,  father.     You  know. that  it  is  the  duty  of 
a  father  to  watch  over  his  children,  to  give  them  good 
advice,  and  to  do  every  thing  in  his  power  to  make 
them  happy.     What  has  this  father  of  yours  done  for 
you,  during  the  long  time  that  you  have  looked  up  to 
him  for  protection  and  advice?     Are  you  wiser  and 
happier  than  you  were  before  you  knew  him;  or  is 
your  nation  stronger  or  more  respectable  ?     No,  my 
children,  he  took  you  by  the  hand  when  you  were  a 
powerful  tribe ;  you  held  him  fast,  supposing  he  was 
your  friend,  and  he  conducted  you  through  paths  filled 
with  thorns  and  briers,  which  tore  your  flesh  and  shed 
your  blood.     Your  strength  was  exhausted,  and  you 
could  no  longer  follow  him.     Did  he  stay  by  you  in 
your  distress,  and  assist  and  comfort  you  ?     No,' he  led 
you  mto  danger,  and  then  abandoned  you.     He  saw 
your  blood  flowing  and  he  would  give  you  no  bandage 
to  tie  up  your  wounds.     This  was  the  conduct  of  the 
man  who  called  himself  your  father.     The  Great  Spirit 
opened  your  eyes ;  you  heard  the  voice  of  the  chief  of 
the  ^venteen  Fires,  speaking  the  words  of  peace.     He 
called  to  you  to  follow  him ;  you  came  to  him,  and  he 
once  more  put  you  on  the  right  way,  on  the   broad 
smooth  road  that  would  have  led  to  happiness.    But  the 
voice  of  your  deceiver  is  again  heard;  and  forgetful  of 
your  former  sufferings,  you  are  again  listening  to  him. 
"  My  children,  shut  your  ears,  and  mind  him  not,  or 
he  will  lead  you  to  ruin  and  misery. 

«  My  children,  I  have  heard  bad  news.  The  sacred 
spot  where  the  great  council  fire  was  kindled,  around 
which  the  Seventeen  Fires  and  ten  tribes  of  their  chil- 
dren, smoked  the  pipe  of  peace-— that  very  spot  where 
the  Great  Spirit  saw  his  red  and  white  children  encircle 
themselves  with  the  chain  of  friendship— that  place  has 
been  selected  for  dark  and  bloody  councils. 
"My  childriJir,  this  business  must  be  stopped.     You 

I  2 


/ 


JO? 


LirU   or   TECfMSEH. 


u 


I 


'  £«  'a 


J' ' 


have  called  in  a  tinmbei'  of  nrien  from  the  most  disfafil 
ti'ibes,  to  listen  to  a  fool,  who  speaks  not  tlie  words  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  but  tiiose  of  the  devil,  and  of  the  IJritish 
agents.  My  children,  your  conduct  luis  much  alarmed 
the  white  settlers  near  you.  Tliey  desire  that  you  wil' 
send  away  those  people,  and  if  tliey  wish  to  have  th» 
impostor  with  them,  they  can  carry  him.  Let  him  g< 
to  the  lakes;  he  can  hear  the  British  more  distinctly.'* 

At  the  time  of  the  delivery  of  this  speech,  the  heat 
chiefs  of  the  Shawanoes  were  absent  from  Greenville 
Tlie  Prophet,  after  listening  patiently  to  it,  requested 
the  interpreter  to  write  down  the  following  answer, 
which  was  transmitted  to  the  governor. 

"  Father, — I  am  very  sorry  that  you  listen  to  the  ad- 
vice of  bad  birds.  You  have  impeached  me  with  liav- 
ing  correspondence  with  the  British  ;  and  with  calling 
and  sending  for  the  Indians  from  the  most  distant  part 
of  the  country,  « to  listen  to  a  fool  that  speaks  not  the 
words  of  the  Great  Spirit,  but  the  words  of  the  devil." 
Father,  those  irapeaciiments  I  deny,  and  say  they  are 
not  true.  I  never  had  a  word  with  the  British,  and  I 
never  sent  for  any  Indians.  They  came  here  them- 
selves to  listen,  and  hear  the  words  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

"  Father,  I  wish  you  would  not  listen  any  more  to 
the  voice  of  bad  birds :  and  you  may  rest  assured  that 
it  is  the  least  of  our  idea  to  make  disturbance,  and  we 
will  rather  try  to  stop  any  such  proceedings  than  to 
encourage  them." 

The  appeal  of  the  governor,  as  may  be  inferred  from 
the  evasive  and  cunning  answer  of  the  Prophet,  pro- 
duced no  change  in  his  measures,  nor  did  it  arrest  the 
spread  of  the  fanaticism  among  the  Indians  which  his 
incantations  had  set  afloat.  The  happiness  of  the  In- 
dians was  the  great  idea  which  Tecumseh  and  his  bro- 
ther promulgated  among  their  followers  as  being  the 
object  of  their  labors.  This  was  to  be  attained  by 
leading  more  virtuous  lives,  by  retaining  their  lands, 
and  in  simply  doing  what  the  government  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  had  frequently  urged  upon  them,  eftecting 
an  extended  and  friendly  union  of  the  different  tribes. 
These  plausible  reasons,  backed  by  the  superstitious 
belief  of  the  Indians  in  the  inspired  character  of  the 


? 


Livti  OF  tecumsi;h. 


103 


/ 


Prophet,  and  tlie  insidious  etibrts  of  liie  British  agents 
m  fomenung  discontent  among  them,  were  suflieient  to 
keop  ahyo  the  excitement,  and  even  extend  the  circle 
ot  Its  inlhienco.     Thus  ended  the  year  1807 

'J'he  reader  may  learn  the  extraordinary  success  of 
the  Prophet  ni  spreading  his  influence  among  the  re- 
mote tribes  by  a  reference  to  the  narrative  of  Mr.  John 
lanner.  Ihis  man  had  been  taken  captive  in  Boone 
coimy  Kentucky,  ivhen  a  boy;  had  been  raised  by 
llic  Indians,  and  was  at  this  time,  living  among  the 
Ojibbeways,  who  reside  far  up  the  lakes  ^ 

News  reached  that  remote  tribe  that  a  great  man 
liad  arisen  among  the  Shawanoes,  who  had  been  fa- 
vored by  a  revelation  of  the  mind  and  will  of  the  Great 
Sjpirit.      The   messenger   bearing  this  information   to 
tliem,  seemed  deeply  penetrated  with  the  sacred  char- 
acter of  his  mission      Upon  his  arrival  among  them, 
he  announced  himself  after  a  mysterious  silence,  as  the 
forerunner  of  the  great  Prophet,  who  was  shortly  to 
shake  hands  with  the  Ojibbe  ways,  and  explain  to  them 
more  luUy  his  inspired  character,  and  the  new  mode  of 
hie  and  conduct  which  they  were  hereafter  to  pursue 
He  then  gravely  repeated  to  them  the  Prophet^s  sys- 
tem of  morals  ;  and  in  a  very  solemn  manner,  enjoined 

Ln  th '''^''''':     ?^  '^'^"^  '^^^  ^he  impression  made 
upon  the  principal  men  of  the  Ojibbeways,  that  a  time 
was  appointed  and  a  lodge  prepared  foi'  the  public  , 
espousal  of  these  doctrines.     When  the  Indians  were  ^ 
assembled  m  the  new  lodge,  «we  saw  something" 
says  Mr  Tanner,  "carefully  concealed  under  a  San- 
Ket,  in  figure  and  dimensions  bearing  some  resem- 
blance to  a  man.   This  was  accompanied  by  two  younL 
men,  who,  it  was  understood,  attended  constantly  upon 
,  made  its  bed  at  night,  as  for  a  man,  and  slept  near 
It.    ^ut  while  we  remained,  no  one  went  near  to  it  or 
raised  the  blanket  which  was  spread  over  its  unknown 
Zf  ^ll'ti  Four  strings  of  mouldy  and  discolored  beads 
we  e  all  the  visible  insignia  of  this  important  mission. 
f.o.  Au""''^  harangue,  in  which  the  prominent 

features  of  the  new  revelation  were  stated,  and  urled 
upon   the  attention  of  all,  the  four  strings  of  beads  u 
which  we  were  told  were  made  of  the  flesh  of  the  Pro-'  ' 


fifrl 


104 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


I 


M 


!, 


phet,  were  carried  with  much  solemnity,  to  each  man 
in  the  lodge,  and  he  was  expected  to  take  hold  of  each 
string  at  the  top,  and  draw  them  gently  through  his 
hand.  This  was  called  shaking  hands  with  the  Pro- 
phet, and  was  considered  as  solemnly  engaging  to  obey 
his  injunctions,  and  accept  of  his  mission  as  from,  the 
Supreme.  All  the  Indians  who  touched  the  beads  had 
previously  killed  their  dogs  ;  they  gave  up  their  medi- 
cine bags,  and  showed  a  disposition  to  comply  with  all 
that  should  be  required  of  them." 

The  excitement  among  the  Ojibbeways  continued 
tor  some  time ;  they  assembled  in  groups,  their  faces 
wearing  an  aspect  of  gloom  and  anxiety,  while  the 
active  sunk  into  indolence,  and  the  spirit  of  the  bravest 
warriors  was  subdued.  The  influence  of  the  Prophet, 
says  Mr.  Tanner,  "was  very  sensibly  and  painfully  felt 
by  the  remotest  Ojibbeways  of  whom  I  had  any  know- 
ledge ;  but  it  was  not  the  common  impression  among 
them,  that  his  doctrines  had  any  tendency  to  unite  them 
m  the  accomplishment  of  any  human  purpose.  For 
two  or  three  years  drunkenness  was  much  less  fre- 
quent than  formerly;  war  was  less  thought  of;  and 
the  entire  aspect  of  things  among  them  was  changed 
by  the  influence  of  this  mission.  But  in  time  these 
new  impressions  were  obliterated ;  medicine-bags,  flints 
and  steels,  the  use  of  which  had  been  forbidden,  were 
brought  into  use ;  dogs  were  reared,  women  and  chil- 
dren beaten  as  before ;  and  the  Shawanoe  Prophet  was 
despised." 
^  With  the  beginr«ing  of  the  year  1808,  great  numbers 
of  Indians  came  down  from  the  lakes,  on  a  visit  to  the 
Prophet,  where  they  remained  until  their  means  of  sub- 
sistence weve  exhausted.  The  governor  of  Indiana, 
with  the  prudence  and  humanity  which  marked  his 
administration,  directed  the  agent  at  fort^  Wayne,  to 
supply  them  with  provisions  from  the  public  stores  at 
that  place.  This  was  done,  and  from  his  intercourse 
with  them  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  had  no 
hostile  designs  against  the  United  States.  About  this 
time,  Tecumseh  made  a  visit  to  the  Mississinaway 
towns,  the  immediate  object  of  which  could  not  be 
clearly  ascertained     That  it  was  connected  with  the 


m 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSFH. 


105 


grand  scheme  m  which  he  was  engaged,  is  probable 
Irom  the  fact  that  the  Indians  of  that  region  agreed  to 
meet  him  and  the  Prophet  on  the  Wabash,  in  the  fol- 
lowing June,  to  which  place  he  had  at  this  time  resolv- 
ed to  move  his  party.  Mr.  Jouett,  one  of  the  United 
btates  Indian  agents,  apprehended  that  this  meeting 
would  result  in  some  hostile  action  against  the  fron- 
tiers ;  and,  as  a  means  of  preventing  it,  and  putting  an 
end  to  the  influence  of  the  Prophet,  recommended  to 
the  governor  that  he  should  be  seized  and  confined. 
Ihe  proposition,  i.owever,  was  not  entertained. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year,  1808,  Tecumseh  and  the  ^' 
Prophet  removed  to  a  tract  of  land  granted  them  by 
the  Potawatamies  and  Kickapoos,  on  Tippecanoe,  one 
ol  the  tributaries  of  the  Wabash  river.     They  had  not 
been   long  at  their  new  residence   before  it  became 
apparent  that  the  Prophet  had  established  a  strong  in- 
fluence over  the  minds  of  the  surrounding  Indians,  and 
there   was  much  reason  for  believing  that  his  views 
were  hostile  to  the  United  States.     The  governor  still 
confided  in  the  fidelity  of  the  Delawares  and  the  Mi- 
amis ;  but  he  apprehended,  that  although  disbelievers 
in  the  Prophet's  divine  mission,  they  might  be  turned 
from  the  line  of  duty  from  a  fear  of  his  temporal  pow- 
er.    When  he  had  established  himself  upon  the  banks  ^ 
of  the  Tippecanoe,  the  Prophet  drew  around  him  a 
body  of  northern  Indians,  principally  from  the  Pota- 
watamies, Otto  was  and  Chippewas.     To  this,  the  Mi- 
anus  and  Delawares  had  strong  objections;  and  a  de- 
putation of  the  latter  was  sent  to  the  Prophet  on  the 
s'  )  dct.     He  refused  to  see  them  himself,  but  Tecum- 
.   i   met  them  ;  and  after  a  solemn  conference,  they  re- 
turned to  their  tribe  v/ith  increased  apprehensions  of 
the  combination  at  Tippecanoe,  which  was  now  unit- 
ing warlike  sports  with  the  performance  of  religious 
duties.*     The  Delawares  decided  in  council  to  arrest 
the  progress  of  this  rising  power,  but  in  vain.     Strong 
m  the  moral  force  with  which  they  were  armed,  the 
two  brothers  were  not  to  be  driven  from  their  purpose 

i  C3 -'  '•«  <-«tiii_rij,  vv liiCii  lucy    vvuit;  liuW 


*  Governor  Harrison  s  Ccrreapondence  with  the  War  Department. 


106 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


holding  out  to  the  tribes,  upon  the  waters  of  the  Wa- 
bash. The  sacred  office  which  the  Prophet  had  impi- 
ously assumed,  enabled  him  fo  sway  many  minds,  and 
in  doing  so,  he  was  effectivei/  sustained  by  the  per- 
sonal presence,  tact  and  sagacity  of  his  brother.  From 
his  youth,  Tecumseh  had  been  noted  for  the  influence 
which  he  exercised  over  those  by  whom  he  was  sur- 
rounded. Hence,  when  the  chiefs  of  the  Miamis  and 
Dela wares,  who  were  disbelievers  in  the  Prophet's  holy 
character,  set  out  to  prevent  his  removal  to  the  Wa- 
bash, Tecumseh  boldly  met  them,  and  turned  them 
from  their  purpose.  This  was  done  at  a  moment  when 
the  number  of  the  Prophet's  followers  was  greatly  re- 
duced, as  we  gather  from  the  statement  of  th€  agent, 
John  Conner,  who  in  the  month  of  June,  of  this  year, 
visited  his  settlement  on  the  Wabash  to  reclaim  some 
horses  which  had  been  stolen  from  the  whites.  At  this 
time,  the  Prophet  had  not  more  than  forty  of  his  own 
tribe  with  him ;  and  less  than  a  hundred  from  others, 
principally  Potawatamies,  Chippewas,  Ottawas  and 
Winebagoes.  The  Prophet  announced  his  intfntion 
of  making  a  visit  to  governor  Harrison,  for  tlie  y  arpose 
of  explaining  his  conduct,  and  procuring  a  supply  of 
provisions  for  his  followers.  This,  he  insisted,  could 
not  be  consistently  withheld  from  him,  a?  the  white 
people  had  always  encouraged  him  to  preach  the  word 
of  God  to  the  Indians ;  and  in  this  holy  work  he  was 
now  engaged. 

Some  time  in  the  month  of  July,  the  governor  re- 
ceived a  speech  from  the  Prophet,  sent  to  Vincennes 
by  a  special  messenger.  It  was  cautious,  artful  and 
pacific  in  its  character.  It  deprecated  in  strotig  terms 
the  misrepresentations  which  had  been  circulated  in 
regard  to  the  ulterior  objects  of  the  Prophet  and  his 
brother  as  to  the  whites ;  and  renewed  the  promise  of 
an  early  visit.  This  visit  was  made  in  the  month  fol- 
lowing, and  was  continued  for  two  weeks,  during  which 
time  he  and  the  governor  had  frequent  interviews.  In 
these,  the  Prophet,  with  his  cliaracteristic  plausibility, 
denied  that  his  course  was  the  result  of  British  influ- 
ence. His  sole  object,  he  alkged,  was  a  benevolent 
one  towards  his  red  brethren;  to  reclaim  them  from  the 


LIFE    OP    TECUM8EH. 


07 


degrading  vices  to  which  they  were  addicted,  and  in- 
duce them  to  cultivate  a  spirit  of  peace  and  friendship, 
not  only  with  the  white  people,  but  their  kindred 
tribes.  To  this  sacred  office,  he  insisted,  with  much 
earnestness,  he  had  been  specially  called  by  the  Great 
Spirit.  That  he  might  the  more  successfully  enforce 
the  sincerity  of  his  views  upon  the  mind  of  the  gover- 
nor, 4ie  took  occasion  several  times  during  the  visit,  to 
address  the  Indians  who  had  accompanied  him  to  Vin- 
cennes,  and  dwelt  upon  the  great  evils  resulting  to 
them  from  wars,  and  the  use  of  ardent  spirits.  It  was 
apparent  to  the  governor  that  the  Prophet  was  a  man 
of  decided  talents,  of  great  tact,  and  admirably  quali- 
fied to  play  successfully,  the  part  he  had  assumed.  In 
order  to  test  the  extent  of  his  influence  over  his  follow- 
ers, the  governor  held  conversations  with  them,  and 
several  times  offered  them  whiskey,  which  they  inva- 
riably refused.  Looking  to  that  ameUoration  of  the 
condition  of  the  Indians,  which  had  long  engaged  his 
attention,  the  governor  began  to  hope  that  the  Pro- 
phet's power  over  them  might  be  turned  to  advantage ; 
and  that  the  cause  of  humanity  would  be  benefited  by 
sustaining  rather  than  trying  to  weaken  the  influence 
of  the  preacher.  This  impression  was  much  strength- 
ened by  the  following  speech  which  the  Prophet  deliv- 
ered to  him,  before  the  close  of  the  visit. 

«  Father  :— It  is  three  years  since  I  first  began  with 
that  system  of  religion  which  I  now  practice.  The 
white  people  and  some  of  the  Indians  were  against 
me;  but  I  had  no  other  intention  but  to  introduce 
among  the  Indians,  those  good  principles  of  religion 
which  the  white  people  profess.  I  was  spoken  badly 
of  by  the  white  people,  who  reproached  me  with  mis- 
leading the  Indians ;  but  I  defy  them  to  say  that  I  did 
any  thing  amiss. 

"  Father,  I  was  told  that  you  intended  to  hang  me. 
When  I  heard  this,  I  intended  to  remember  it,  and  tell 
my  father,  when  I  went  to  see  him,  and  relate  to  him 
the  truth. 

« I  heard,  when  I  settled  on  the  Wabash,  that  my 
m,.itxjiy  nic  guvciiiux,  uau  uuciareu  inai  ail  ihe  iana  De- 
tween  Vincennes  and  fort  Wayne,  was  the  property  of 


: 

i 


't:  k 


108 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


the  Seventeen  Fires.  I  also  heard  that  you  wanted  to 
know,  my  father,  whether  I  was  God  or  man ;  and 
that  you  said  if  I  was  the  former,  I  should  not  steal 
horses.  I  heard  this  from  Mr.  Wells,  but  I  believed  it 
originated  with  himself. 

"  The  Great  Spirit  told  me  to  tell  the  Indians  that  he 
had  made  them,  and  made  the  world — that  he  had 
placed  them  on  it  to  do  good,  and  not  evil. 

"  I  told  all  the  red  skins,  that  the  way  they  were  in 
was  not  good,  and  that  they  ought  to  abandon  it. 

« That  we  ought  to  consider  ourselves  as  one  man  ; 
but  we  ought  to  live  agreeably  to  our  several  customs, 
the  red  people  after  their  mode,  and  the  white  people 
after  theirs ;  particularly,  that  they  should  not  drink 
whiskey;  that  it  was  not  made  for  them,  but  the  white 
people,  who  alone  knew  how  to  use  it ;  and  that  it  is 
the  cause  of  all  the  mischiefs  which  the  Indians  suffer ; 
and  that  they  must  always  follow  the  directions  of  the 
Great  Spirit,  and  we  must  listen  to  him,  as  it  was  he 
that  made  us :  determme  to  listen  to  nothing  that  is 
bad:  do  not  takn  up  the  tomahawk,  should  it  be  offer 
ed  by  the  British,  or  by  the  long  knives :  do  not  med- 
dle with  any  thing  that  does  not  belong  to  you,  but 
mind  your  own  business,  and  cultivate  the  ground, 
that  your  women  and  your  children  may  have  enough 
to  Uve  on. 

"  I  now  inform  you,  that  it  is  our  intention  to  live 
in  peace  with  our  father  and  his  people  forever. 

"  My  father,  I  have  informed  you  what  we  mean  to 
do,  and  I  call  the  Great  Spirit  to  witness  the  truth  of 
my  declaration.  The  religion  which  I  have  established 
for  the  last  three  years,  has  been  attended  to  by  the 
different  tribes  of  Indians  in  this  part  of  he  world. 
Those  Indians  were  once  different  people;  they  are 
now  but  one :  they  are  all  determined  to  practice  what 
I  have  communicated  to  them,  that  has  come  imme- 
diately from  the  Great  Spirit  through  me.  • 

"  Brother,  I  speak  to  you  as  a  warrior.  You  are  one. 
But  let  us  lay  aside  this  character,  and  attend  to  the 
care  of  our  children,  that  they  may  live  in  comfort  and 

Ppnrp        W^p.  flpsirp  tlmt  irnn  Mrill    inin  n«  fnr  fha  -nrocpi*- 

ration  of  both  red  and  white  people.    Formerly,  when 


LIFE   OF   TECUMSEH. 


109 


we  lived  in  ignorance,  we  were  foolish;   but  now 
since  we  listen  to  the  voice  of  the  Great  Spirit,  we  are 
happy. 

"I  have  listened  to  what  you  have  said  to  us.  You 
have  promised  to  assist  us ;  I  now  request  you,  in  be- 
half of  all  the  red  people,  to  use  your  exertions  to  pre- 
vent the  sale  of  liquor  to  us.  We  are  all  well  pleased 
to  hear  you  say  that  you  will  endeavor  to  promote  our 
happmess.  We  give  you  every  assurance  that  we  will 
follow  the  dictates  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

«  We  are  all  well  pleased  with  the  attention  that  you 
have  showed  us;  also  with  the  good  intentions  of  our 
father,  the  President.  If  you  give  us  a  few  articles, 
such  as  needles,  flints,  hoes,  powder,  &c.,  we  will  take 
the  animals  that  afford  us  meat,  with  powder  and 
ball." 

Governor  Harrison,  if  not  deceived  by  the  plausible 
pretences  and  apparently  candid  declarations  of  the 
Prophet,  was  left  in  doubt,  whether  he  was  really  me- 
ditating hostile  movements  against  the  United  States, 
or  only  laboring,  with  the  energy  of  an  enthusiast,  in 
the  good  work  of  promoting  the  welfare  of  the  Indians. 
Having  received  a  supply  of  provisions,  the  Prophet 
and  his  followers,  at  the  end  of  a  fortnight,  took  leave 
of  the  governor  and  returned  to  their  head  quarters,  ou 
the  banks  of  the  Tippecanoe. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Tecumseh   visits  the  Wyandots— governor  Harrison's  letter   about  the 

l^rophet  to  the  Secretary  at  Vl^ar—British  influence  over  the  Indians— 

1  ecumseh  bums  governor  Harrison's  letter  to  the  chiefs— great  a'arra 

m  Indiana,  m  consequence  of  the  assemblage  of  the  Indians  at  Tippeca- 

no*-death  ot  Leatherlips,  a  Wyandot  chief,  on  a  charge  of  witchcraft. 

During  the  autum-  r  this  year,  1808,  nothing  ma- 
terial occurred  with  the  Prophet  and  his  brother,  calcu- 
lated to  throw  light  upon  their  conduct.  The  former 
coiitinued  his  efforts  to  induce  the  Indians  to  forsake 
their  vicious  habits.     The  latter  was  occupied  in  visit- 

K 


J.'    s-l 


no 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


mg  the  neighboring  tribes,  and  quietly  strengthening  his 
own  and  the  Prophet's  influence  over  them.  Early  in 
the  succeeding  year,  Tecumseh  attended  a  council  of 
Indians,  at  Sandusky,  when  he  endeavored  to  prevail 
upon  the  Wyandots  and  Senecas  to  remove  and  join 
his  establishment  at  Tippecanoe.  Among  other  rea- 
sons presented  in  favor  of  this  removal,  he  stated  that 
the  country  on  the  Tippecanoe  was  better  than  that 
occupied  by  these  tribes ;  that  it  was  remote  from  the 
whites,  and  that  in  it  they  would  have  more  game  and 
be  happier  than  where  they  now  resided.  In  this  mis- 
sion he  appears  not  to  have  been  successful.  The 
Crane,  an  old  chief  of  the  Wyandot  tribe,  replied,  that 
he  feared  he,  Tecumseh,  was  working  for  no  good  pur- 
pose at  Tippecanoe ;  that  they  would  wait  a  few 
years,  and  then,  if  they  found  their  red  brethren  at  that 
place  contented  and  happy,  they  would  probably  join 
them.*  In  this  visit  to  Sandusky,  Tecumseh  was  ac- 
companied by  captain  Lewis,  a  Shawanoe  chief  of 
some  note,  who  then  engaged  to  go  with  him  to  the 
Creeks  and  Cherokees,  on  a  mission  which  he  was  con- 
templating, and  which  was  subsequently  accomplished. 
Lewis,  however,  did  not  finally  make  the  visit,  but  per- 
mitted Jim  Blue  Jacket  to  make  the  tour  in  his  place. 

In  April  of  the  year  1809,  the  agent  of  the  United 
States  at  fort  Wayne,  informed  governor  Harrison,  that 
it  had  been  reported  to  him  that  the  Chippewas,  Pota- 
watamies  and  Ottawas,  were  deserting  the  standard  of 
the  Prophet,  because  they  had  been  required  to  take 
up  arms  against  the  whites,  and  to  unite  in  an  effort  to 
exterminate  all  the  inhabitants  of  Vincennes,  and  those 
living  on  the  Ohio,  between  its  mouth  and  Cincinnati — 
it  being  the  order  of  the  Great  Spirit ;  and  that  their 
own  destruction  would  be  the  consequence  of  a  refusal. 
The  agent  did  not  think,  however,  that  hostilities 
were  likely  to  ensue,  as  he  was  informed  there  were 
not  more  than  one  hundred  warriors  remaining  with 
the  Prophet.  The  governor,  however,  had  informa- 
tion from  other  sources,  that .  although  there  might  be 
but  that  number  of  warriors  at  the  Prophet's  village, 


Anthony  Shane. 


LIFE  or  TECUMSEH.  ;•.: 

there  were,  within  fifty  miles  of  his  head-quarters,  four 
or  five  times  that  number,  who  were  devoted  to  him 
and  to  his  cause.  Under  these  circumstances,  he  deci- 
ded to  organize  forthwith,  under  previous  orders  from 
the  War  department,  two  companies  of  volunteer  mi- 
htia,  and  with  them  to  garrison  fort  Knox—a  post 
about  two  miles  from  Vincennes— then  the  general  de- 
pot of  arms  and  ammunition,  for  the  use  of  the  neigh- 
boring militia.  The  agent  at  fort  Wayne  was  accord- 
ingly directed  by  the  governor  to  require  the  Delaware, 
Miami  and  Potawatamie  tribes,  to  prevent  any  hostile 
parties  of  Indians  from  passing  through  their  respective 
territories.  This  they  were  bound  to  do,  by  a  stipula- 
tion in  the  treaty  of  Greenville.  But  no  hostile  move- 
ments, (if  any  had  been  meditated,)  were  made  by  the 
Prophet,  and  before  the  close  of  the  month  of  May 
most  of  his  warriors  had  dispersed,  and  all  apprehen- 
sion of  an  attack  from  the  Indians  was  dispelled. 

In  the  month  of  July,  in  reply  to  a  letter  from  the 
Secretary  of  War,  on  the  subject  of  the  defence  of  the 
north-western  frontier,  governor  Harrison,  in  reference 
to  the  Prophet,  says: 

"  The  Shawanoe  Prophet  and  about  forty  followers 
arrived  here  about  a  week  ago.  He  denies  most  stren- 
uously, any  participation  in  the  late  combination  to 
attack  our  settlements,  which  he  says  was  entirely  con- 
fined to  the  tribes  of  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers- 
and  he  claims  the  merit  of  having  prevailed  upon  them 
to  relinquish  their  intentions. 

"  I  must  confess  that  my  suspicions  of  his  guilt  have 
be€n  rather  strengthened  than  diminished  at  every  in- 
terview I  have  had  with  him  since  his  arrival.  He 
acknowledges  that  he  received  an  invitation  to  war 
against  us,  from  the  British,  last  fall;  and  that  he  was 
apprised  of  the  intention  of  the'  Sacs  and  Foxes,  &c. 
early  in  the  spring,  and  was  warmly  solicited  to  join  in 
their  league.  But  he  could  give  no  satisfactory  expla- 
nation of  his  neglecting  to  communicate  to  me,  circum- 
stances so  extremely  interesting  to  us;  and  towards 
whicli  I  had  a  few  months  before  directed  his  attention, 
and  received  a  solemn  assnrannp.  of  bi«  phAovfni  r.^mnii 
ance  with  the  injunctions  I  had  impressed  upon  him. 


t     r      I 


112 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


ilF  '; 


«  The  result  of  aJl  my  enquiries  on  the  subject  is,  that 
the  late  combhiation  was  produced  by  British  intrigue 
and  influence,  in  anticipation  of  war  between  them 
and  the  United  States.  It  was,  however,  premature 
and  ill-judged,  and  the  event  sufficiently  manifests  a 
great  decline  in  their  influence,  or  in  the  talents  and 
address,  with  which  they  have  been  accustomed  to 
manage  their  Indian  relations. 

"  The  warlike  and  well  armed  tribes  of  the  Potawa- 
tamies,  Ottawas,  Chippewas,  Dela wares,  and  Miamis, 
I  believe,  neither  had,  nor  would  have,  joined  in  the 
combination ;  and  although  the  Kickapoos,  whose  war- 
riors are  better  than  those  of  any  other  tribe,  the  rem- 
nant of  the  Wyandots  excepted,  are  much  under  the 
influence  of  the  Prophet,  I  am  persuaded  that  they 
were  never  made  acquainted  with  his  intentions,  if 
these  were  really  hostile  to  the  United  Slates.'' 
i  In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1809,  under  instructions 
from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  governor  Har- 
rison deemed  the  period  a  favorable  ono  to  extinguish 
the  Indian  title  to  the  lands  on  the  east  of  the  Wabash, 
and  adjoining  south  on  the  lines  established  by  the 
former  treaties  of  fort  Wayne  and  Grousland.  A  coun- 
cil was  accordingly  held,  in  the  latter  part  of  Septem- 
ber, at  fort  Wayne,  with  the  Miami,  Eel  river,  Dela- 
ware and  Potawatamie  tribes,  whicli  resulted  in  the 
.purchase  of  the  land  above  mentioned.  A  separate 
^  treaty  was  made  with  the  Kickapoos,  who  confirmed 
the  grants  made  at  the  above  treaty,  and  also  ceded 
another  tract.  In  making  these  treaties,  governor  Har- 
rison invited  all  those  Indians  to  be  present,  who  were 
considered  as  having  any  title  to  the  lands  embraced 
within  them. 

Throughout  the  remainder  of  the  year  1809,  things 
remained  quiet  with  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet.  The 
number  of  their  followers  was  again  on  the  increase ; 
and,  although  no  overt  acts  of  hostility  against  the 
frontier  settlements  were  committed,  there  was  a  pre- 
valent suspicion  in  that  quarter,  that  the  Indians  enter- 
tained sinister  designs  towards  the  whites.  The  events 
of  the  early  part  of  the  year  1810,  were  such  as  to 
leave  little  doubt  of  the  hostile  intentions  of  the  broth 


t.     V 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


113 


4 


ers.     In  the  latter  part  of  April,  governor  Harrison 
was  informed,  upon  credible  authority,  that  the  Pro- 
p  let  was  really  instigating  the  Indians  to  acts  of  hos- 
tility against  the  United  States;  and  that  he  had  under 
his  immediate  control  about  four  hundred  warriors, 
chiefly  composed  of  Kickapoos  and  Winnebagoes,  but 
embracing  also  some  Shawanoes,  Potawatamies,  Chip- 
pewas    and  Ottawas.    The   traders  among  them  at- 
tributed  this  hostile  feeling  to  British  influence.     That 
the  followers  of  the  Prophet  had  received  a  supply  of 
powder  and  ball  from  the  English  agents,  was  general- 
ly  admitted.     Tliey  refused  to  buy  ammunition  from 
our  traders,  alleging  that  they  were  plentifully  supplied 
trom  a  quarter  where  it  cost  them  nothing.     About  the 
middle  of  May,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  number  of 
warriors  with  the  Prophet,  amounted  to  more  than  six 
hundred  men,  and  there  were  reasons  to  apprehend 
that  his  influence  had  kindled  a  hostile  feeling  amone 
several  of  the  tribes  to  the  west  and  north  of  his  head 
quarters     A  meeting  of  Indians  having  been  appoint- 
ed to  take  place  about  this  time,  on  the  St.  Joseph's 
river,  governor   Harrisoxi   made  an  appeal  to   them 
through  the  Delawares,  in  which  he  forcibly  pointed 
out  the  unhappy  results  that  would  certainly  follow 
any  attack  upon  the  United  States ;  and  cautioned  the 
triendly  tribes,  upon  the  dangers  to  which  they  would 
be  subjected,  in  consequence  of  the  difliculty  of  dis- 
criminating between  friends  and  enemies,  in  case  a  war 
should  occur.     In  July  the  governor  was  authorized 
by  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  take  such  steps  as  he  miffht 
deem  necessary  for  the  protection  of  the  frontier:  and 
at  the  same  time  was  informed  that  some  troops  had 
been  ordered  to  Vincennes  to  keep  in  chec.V  the  hostile 
Indians  of  that  quarter. 

Fresh  apprehensions  were  now  felt  for  the  safety  of 
the  frontiers.  The  Prophet,  it  appears,  had  gained 
over  to  his  cause  the  Wyandot  tribe,  whose  councils 
had  always  exerted  a  strong  influence  among  the  Indi- 
ans. To  this  tribe  had  been  committed  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  Great  Belt,  the  symbol  of  union  among  the 
tribes  in  their  late  war  with  the  United  States  =  and 
also  the  original  duplicate  of  the  Greenville  treaty  of 


t-i 


114 


LIFE    or    TECUMSEH. 


^ 


j,    !i 


1795.  The  Prophet  sent  a  deputation  to  the  Wyan- 
dots  requesting  permission  to  examine  the  provisions 
of  that  treaty,  and  artfully  expressing  his  astonishment 
that  they,  who  had  ever  directed  the  councils  of  the 
Indians,  and  who  were  alike  renowned  for  their  talents 
and  bravery,  should  remain  passive,  and  see  the  lands 
of  the  red  men  usurped  by  a  part  of  that  race.  The 
Wyandots,  pleased  with  these  flattering  speeches,  re- 
plied, that  they  had  carefully  preserved  the  former 
symbol  of  union  among  the  tribes  ;  but  it  had  remain- 
ed so  long  in  their  hands  without  being  called  for,  they 
supposed  it  was  forgotten.  They  further  replied,  that 
weary  of  their  present  situation,  they  felt  desirous  of 
seeing  all  the  tribes  united  in  one  great  confederacy : 
that  they  would  join  such  a  union,  and  labor  to  arrest 
the  encroachments  of  the  whites  upon  their  lands,  and 
if  possible  recover  those  which  had  been  unjustly  tak- 
en from  them.  This  reply  of  the  Wyandots  was  ex- 
actly suited  to  the  objects  of  the  Prophet ;  and  he  lost 
no  time  in  sending  his  heralds  with  it,  in  every  direc- 
tion. The  Wyandots  soon  afterwards  made  a  visit  to 
Tippecanoe ;  and  in  passing  thither,  had  a  conference 
with  some  of  the  Miami  chiefs,  to  whom  they  showed 
the  great  belt,  and  charged  them  with  having  joined 
the  whites  in  opposition  to  their  red  brethren.  The 
Miamis  at  length  concluded  to  join  in  a  visit  to  the 
Prophet,  and  also  invited  the  Weas  to  join  with  them. 
About  this  time,  the  governor  was  informed  by  an 
aged  Piankishaw,  friendly  to  the  United  States,  that 
the  Prophet  had  actually  formed  a  plan  for  destroying 
the  citizens  of  Vincennes  by  a  general  massacre  ;  and 
that  he  boasted  that  he  would  walk  in  the  footsteps  of 
the  great  Pontiac.  From  another  source  the  governor 
learned  that  there  were  probably  three  hundred  Indi- 
ans within  thirty  miles  of  the  Prophet's  quarters  ;  and 
that  although  their  proceedings  were  conducted  with 
great  secrecy,  it  had  been  discovered  that  they  were 
determined  to  stop  the  United  States'  surveyors  from 
rurming  any  lines  west  of  the  Wabash.  Other  eviden- 
ces of  approaching  hostilities  were  not  wanting.  The 
Prophet,  and  the  Kickapoos  who  were  at  his  village, 
refused  to  accept  the  salt  which  had  been  sent  up  to 


'm- 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


of 


115 


them  as  a  part  of  their  annuities,  and  after  it  had  been 
put  upon  the  shore,  the  carriers  were  not  only  required 
to  replace  it  in  their  boat,  but  whilst  doing  so,  were 
treated  with  rudeness,  and  ordered  to  take  the  salt 
back  to  Vincennes.  They  were  Frenchmen,  or  in  all 
Karshl    i'^  they  would  have  been  treated  still  more 

In  the  early  part  of  July,  governor  Harrison  receiv- 
ed a  letter  from  John  Johnston,  Indian  agent  at  fort 
Wayne,  in  which  he  says  :         . 

"A  person  just  arrived,  who  it  appears  has  lost  him- 
se  f  in  his  route  to  Vincennes,  affords  me  an  opportu- 
nity of  announcing  to  you  my  return  to  this  fort.     I 
was  delayed  on  my  journey  in  attending  to  the  trans- 
portation of  the  public  goods ;  and  on  my  arrival  in  the 
state  of  Ohio,  I  had  learned  that  the  Prophet's  brother 
had  ately  been  at  work  among  the  Shawanoes,  on  the 
Auglaize;  and,  among  other  things,  had  burned  your 
letter  delivered  to  the  chiefs  at  this  place  last  fall      I 
accordingly  took  Wapakonetta  in  my  route  home '  as- 
sembled the  chiefs,  and  demanded  the  reason  why  they 
had  suffered  such  an  improper  act  to  be  committed  at 
their  door.     They  disavowed  all  agency  in  the  transac- 
tion, and  their  entire  disapprobation  of  the  Prophet's 
conduct;  and  concurring  circumstances  satisfied  me 
that  they  were   sincere.     The   white   persons  at  the 
town  informed  me  that  not  one  of  the  chiefs  would  so 
into  council  with  the  Prophet's   brother,  and  that   it 
was  a  preacher  named  Riddle,  who  took  the  letter  to 
have  It  interpreted,  and  that  the  brother  of  the  Prophet 
took  It  from  his  hand,  and  threw  it  into  the  fire,  de- 
claring, that  if  governor  Harrison  were  there,  he  would 
serve  him  so.     He  told  the  Indians  that  the  white  peo- 
ple and  the  government  were  deceiving  them,  and  that 
tor  his  part,  he  never  would  believe  them,  or  put  any 
confidence  in  them;  that  he  never  would  be  quiet  until 
he  effected  his  purpose  ;  and  that  if  he  was  dead,  ihe 
cause  would  not  die  with  him.     He  urged  the  Indians 
to  move  off  to  the  Mississippi  with  him,  saying,  that 
there  he  would  assemble  his  forces.      All  his  argu- 


*  Governor  Harrison's  letters  to  the  War  Department. 


It 


n 


116 


LIFE    OF.   TBCUMSEH. 


Uii  -M^' : 


mentc  seemed  to  be  bottomed  on  the  prospect  of  lios- 
tilities  against  our  people.  He  made  no  impression  on 
the  Sliawanoes,  and  went  away  much  dissatisfied  at 
their  not  coming  into  liis  views.  I  consider  them 
among  our  best  friends.  I  indirectly  encouraged  their 
emigration  westward,  and  told  tliem  their  ammity 
should  follow  tliem.  They  appear  determined  to  re- 
main, and  are  much  attached  to  the  town  and  tlie  im- 
provements, which  are  considerable." 

Notwithstanding  the  Prophet  appears  in  all  these  re- 
cent transactions,  to  be  the  prominent  individual,  it  is 
certain  that  a  greater  one  was  behind  the  scene.  In 
the  junction  of  the  Wyandots  with  the  Prophet,  may 
be  seen  the  result  of  Tecumseh's  visit  to  that  tribe,  in 
the  previous  year,  at  Sandusky,  an  account  of  which 
has  been  already  given.  In  regard  to  the  salt  annuity, 
the  Prophet  knew  not  what  course  to  pursue,  until  lie 
had  consulted  with  his  brother.  Tecumseh,  burning  the 
governor's  letter,  and  the  threat,  that  if  he  were  present 
he  should  meet  the  same  fate,  were  acts  in  keeping  with 
his  bold  character,  and  well  calculated  to  maintain  his 
ascendancy  among  the  Indians.  While  the  Prophet 
was  nominally  the  head  of  the  new  party,  and  undoubt- 
edly exercised  much  influence  by  means  of  his  suppos- 
ed supernatural  power,  he  was  but  an  agent,  controlled 
and  directed  by  a  master  spirit,  whose  energy,  address, 
and  ceaseless  activity,  were  all  directed  to  tlie  accom- 
plishment of  the  grand  plan  to  which  he  had  soleimily 
devoted  his  life. 

The  information  which  flowed  in  upon  governor 
Harrison,  from  different  quarters,  relative  to  the  move- 
ments of  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet,  anrl  the  number 
of  their  followers,  were  such  as  to  induce  it.  »-  make 
the  most  active  preparations  to  meet  ^  imp.  nding 
storm.  A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  V  mcennes  was 
held  on  the  subject,  two  companies  of  militia  were 
cplled  into  active  service,  and  the  rest  were  directed  to 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  for  the  field.  Alarm-posts 
Wfi'ft  fco.tabUshed,  and  other  measures  adopted,  espe- 
•'uily  or  Vne  preservation  of  Vincennes,  which  appear- 
ed to  have  been  fixed  upon  as  the  first  point  of  attack. 

Toward  the  close  of  June,  ^Vinnemac,  at  the  head 


aganis 
moven 
ish  au 
tribe, 
been  s 
to  join 
in  his 
ceaisieie 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSER. 


117 


11 


of  a  deputation  of  Potawatamies,  visited  the  governor 
at  Vniconnes,  for  tluj  purpoNo  of  inf<)rlnin^'  liirn  of  the 
decision  of  a  council,  hold  at  the  8t.  Joseph's  of  lake 
Michigan,  winch  liad  been  attended  by  all  the  tribes  of 
that  quarter,  and  by  a  delegation  from  the  Delawares. 
Ins  deputation  was  present  for  the  purpose  of  dissua- 
ding the  Indians  from  joining  the  Prophet.     The  dutv 
appears  to  have  been  faithfully  performed  by  them 
,    They  protested  in  strong  terms,  against  the  schemes  of 
the  Prophet  and  his  brother,  and  induced,  it  is  believed 
these  tribes  to  give  up  all  idea  of  joining  them.     Wiii- 
nemac  was  directed  to  inform  the  governor,  of  the  de- 
termination to  which  thoy  had  come,  and  also,  to  lay 
before  him  the  plans  of  the  Prophet.     According  to  the 
information  before  the  council,  Detroit,  St.  Louis,  fort 
Wayne,  Chicago  and  Vincennes,  were  all  to  be  surpris- 
ed.    Eiibrts  were  making  to  persuade  the  tribes  resid- 
ing on  the  Mississippi,  to  unite  in  tlie  confederacy.    It 
further  appeared,  that  the   followers  of  the  Prophet 
drawn  as  they  were  from  all  the  tribes,  embraced  but 
few,  if  any  of  the  peace  chiefs,  while  not  a  few  of  the 
war  chiefs,  or  the  leaders  of  small  parties,  were  enroll- 
ing themselves  under  his  standard.     Winnemac  stated 
to  the  governor,  that  the  Prophet  had  actually  suggest- 
ed to  his  young  men,  the  expediency  of  murdering  all 
the  leading  chiefs  of  the  surrounding  tribes,  on  the  plea 
that  then:  own  hands  would  never  be  untied  until  this 
was  done.     They,  he  said,  were  the  men  who  sold  their 
lands,  and  invited  the  encroachments  of  the  whites. 

About  the  period  of  Winnemac's  visit,  an  Indiari  be- 
longing to  the  Iowa  tribe,  told  general  Harrison,  that 
two  years  before,  a  British  agent  visited  the  Prophet 
and  delivered  a  message  to  him.  The  object  was  to' 
induce  the  Prophet  to  persevere  in  uniting  the  tribes 
against  the  United  States,  but  not  lo  make  any  hostile 
movement,  until  the  signal  was  given  him  by  the  Brit- 
ish authorities.  From  this  Iowa,  and  others  of  his 
tribe,  the  governor  ascertained  that  the  Prophet  had 
been  soliciting  them  and  .other  tribes  on  the  Mississippi 
to  join  the  confederacy.  To  these  the  Prophet  stated, 
ui  his  plausible  manner,  that  the  Americans  were 
ceaiieiessly  and  silently  invading  the  Indians,  until  those 


*'4  a 


...  i^j.. 
■  it 


US 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSET. 


who  had  suffered  most,  had  resolved  to  be  driven  back 
no  farther;  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  remote 
tribes  upon  whose  lands  the  march  of  civilization  had 
not  yet  pressed,  to  assist  those  who  had  already  lost 
theirs,  or  in  turn  a  corresponding  calamity  would  fol- 
low upon  them.  This,  the  Prophet  declared,  he  was 
directed  by  the  Great  Spirit  of  the  Indians  to  tell  them, 
adding,  that  ^his  Great  Spirit  would  utterly  destroy 
them,  if  they  ventured  to  doubt  whe  words  of  his  cho- 
sen Prophet.* 

On  the  first  of  June,  a  Wyandot  chief,  called  Leath- 
erlips,  paid  the  forfeit  of  his  life  on  a  charge  of  witch- 
craft. General  Harrison  entertained  the  opinion  that 
his  death  was  the  result  of  the  Prophet's  command, 
and  that  the  party  who  acted  as  executioners  went 
directly  from  Tippecanoe,  to  the  banks  of  the  Scioto, 
where  the  tragedy  was  enacted.  Leatherlips  was 
found  encamped  upon  that  stream,  twelve  miles  above 
Columbus.  The  six  Wyandots  who  put  him  to  death, 
were  headed,  it  is  supposed,  by  the  chief  Roundhead. 
An  effort  was  made  by  some  white  men  who  were 
present  to  save  the  life  of  tha  accused,  but  without  suc- 
cess. A  council  of  two  or  three  hours  took  place  :  the 
accusing  party  spoke  with  warmth  and  bitterness  of 
feeling :  Leatherlips  was  calm  and  dispassionate  in  his 
replies.  The  sentence  of  death,  which  had  been  pre- 
viously passed  upon  him,  was  reaffirmed.  "  The  pri- 
soner then  walked  slowly  to  his  camp,  partook  of  a 
dinner  of  jerked  venison,  washed  and  arrayed  himself 
in  his  best  apparel,  and  afterwards  painted  his  face. 
His  dress  was  very  rich — ^his  hair  gray,  and  his  whole 
appearance  graceful  and  commandmg."  When  the 
liour  for  the  execution  had  arrived,  Leatherlips  shook 
hands  in  silence  with  the  spectators.  "  He  then  turn- 
ed from  his  wigwam,  and  with  a  voice  of  surpassing 
strength  and  melody  commenced  the  chant  of  the  death 
song.  He  was  followed  closely  by  the  Wyandot  war- 
riors, all  timing  with  their  slow  and  measured  march, 
the  music  of  his  wild  and  melancholy  dirge.      The 


*  General  Harmon's  official  correspondence — Dawson's  Historic*!  Nar- 
rative. 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


119 


white  men  were  likewise  all  silent  followers  in  that 
strange   procession.      At  the   distance   of  seventy  or 
eighty  yards  from  the  camp,  they  came  to  a  shallow 
grave,  which,  unknown  to  the  white  men,  had  been 
previously  prepared  by  the  Indians.     Here  the  old  man 
knelt  down,  and  in  an  elevated  but  solemn  tone  of 
voice,  addressed  his  prayer  to  the  Great  Spirit.    As  soon 
as  he  had  finished,  the  captain  of  the  Indians  knelt  be- 
side him,  and  prayed  in  a  similar  manner.     Their  pray- 
ers of  course  were  spoken  in  the  Wyandot  tongue.  *   * 
*"  *     "After  a  few  moments  delay,  the  prisoner  again 
sank  down  upon  his  knees  and  prayed  as  he  had  done 
before.     When  he  had  ceased,  he  still  continued  in  a 
kneeling  position.     All  the  rifles  belonging  to  the  party 
had  been  left  at  the  wigwam.     There  was  not  a  wea- 
pon of  any  kind  to  be  seen  at  the  place  of  execution, 
and  the  spectators  were  consequently  unable  to  form 
any  conjecture  as  to  the  mode  of  procedure,  which  the 
executioners  had  determined  on,  for  the  fulfilment  of 
their  purpose.      Suddenly  one  of  the  warriors  drew 
from  beneath  the  skirts  of  his  capote,  a  keen,  bright 
tomahawk— walked  rapidly  up  behind  the  chieftain- 
brandished  the  weapon  on  high,  for  a  single  moment, 
and  then  struck  with  his  whole  strength.     The  blow 
descended  directly  upon  the  crown  of  the  head,  and  the 
victim  immediately  fell  prostrate.     After  he  had  lain 
awhile  in  the  agonies  of  death,  the  Indian  captain  di- 
rected the  attention  of  the  white  men  to  the  drops  of 
sweat  which  were  gathering  upon  his  neck  and  face : 
remarked  with  much  apparent  exultation,  that  it  was 
conclusive  proof  of  the  sufferer's  guilt.     Again  the  ex- 
.^cutioner  advanced,  and  with  the  same  weapon,  inflict- 
ed two  or  three  additional  and  heavy  blows.     As  soon 
Hs  life  was  entirely  extinct,  the  body  was  hastily  buried, 
with  all  its  apparel  and  decorations ;  and  the  assem- 
blage dispersed."* 

One  of  Mr.  Heckewelder's  correspondents,  as  quoted 
in  his  Historical  Account  of  the  Indian  Nations,  makes 
Tarhe,  better  known  by  the  name  of  Crane,  the  leader 
oi  vxiio  pmty.     X  riiB  uas  uuuii  Qenieu ;  ana,  tne  letter  t 


I , 


*  Mr.  Otway  Cuny,  in  the  Hesperian  for  May,  1838. 
t  Published  in  the  HeBperian  for  July,  1838. 


,  )' 


il-f  I  ^1 


12a 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH- 


of  general  Harrison  on  the  subject,  proves  quite  con- 
clusively that  this  celebrated  chief  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  execution  of  Leatherlips.  Mr.  Heckewelder  s 
correspondent  concurs  in  the  opinion  that  the  original 
order  for  the  death  of  this  old  man,  was  issued  troni 
the  head  quarters  of  the  Pi'ophct  and  his  brother. 


f'^ll 


li! 


(41 


V 


11 


CHAFrER  VII. 

Governor  Haniaon  nnkes  another  effort  to  ascertain  the  designs  of  Te- 
cumseh  and  the  Prophet-Tccuimeh  visits  tlie  governor  at  Vmcennes, 
attended  by  four  hundred  warrior»-a  council  is  held--rccuni8eh  be- 
comes  deeply  excited,  and  charges  governor  Harrison  with  falsehood- 
council  broken  up  in  disorder— renewed  the  next  day. 

For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  more  fully  the  de- 
signs of  the  Prophet  and  his  brother,  governor  Harri- 
son now  despatched  two  confidential  agents  to  their 
head  quarters  at  Tippecanoe.     One  of  these  agents, 
Mr.  Dubois,  was  kindly  received  by  the  Prophet.     He 
stated  to  him  that  he  had  been  sent  by  governor  Harri- 
son  to  ascertain  the  reason  of  his  hostile  preparations, 
and  of  hijs  enmity  to  the  United  States ;  that  his  con- 
duct had  created  so  much  alarm,  that  warriors  both  m 
Kentucky  and  Indiana  were  arming  for  service,  and 
that  a  detachment  of  regular  troops  was  then  actually 
on  its  way  to  Vincennes :  that  he  was  further  author- 
ized by  the  governor  to  say,  that  these  preparations 
were  only  for  defence ;  that  no  attempt  would  be  rnade 
against  him,  until  his  intention  to  commence  hostilities 
could  be  doubted  no  longer.     The  Prophet  denied  that 
he  intended  to  make  war,  and  declared  that  on  this 
point  he  had  been  unjustly  accused :  that  it  was  by  the 
express  commands  of  the  Great  Spirit  that  he  had  fix- 
ed himself  there  ;  and  that  he  was  ordered  to  assemble 
the  Indians  at  that  spot.    When  urged  by  the  agent  to 
state  the  grounds  of  his  complaints  against  the  United 
States,  he  replied,  the  Indians  had  been  cheatcu  "^  ^neir 
lands ;  that  no  sale  was  valid  unless  sanctioned  by  all 
the  tribes.    He  was  assured  that  the  government  would 


HI 


LIFE    OP   TKCrJM8EH. 


131 


listen  to  any  complaints  he  might  ^ave  to  urge ;  and 
that  it  was  expedient  lor  him  to  go  to  Vinceruies  and 
see  governor  Harrison  on  the  subject.  This  he  dechn- 
ed  doing,  giving  as  a  reason,  that  on  his  former  visit  to 
him,  he  had  been  badly  treated.  Mr.  Dubois  met  at 
the  Prophet's  town  with  some  Kickapoos,  with  whom 
he  was  acquainted.  They  seemed  to  regret  having 
joined  the  Prophet,  and  admitted  that  they  had  long 
suspected  that  it  was  his  wisli  to  go  to  war  with  the 
United  States.  War  was  undoubtedly  his  intention, 
but  whether  against  the  United  States  or  the  Osage 
nation,  they  wore  unable  to  say  with  certainty.  Mr. 
Dubois,  on  this  trip,  visited  tlie  Wea  and  Eel  river 
tribes,  and  found  them  apprehensive  that  war  would 
ensue,  and  that  they  would  find  themselves  involved 
in  it. 

The  letter  of  general  Harrison  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  detailing  the  results  of  this  mission,  concludes 
with  the  following  remarks  upon  the  principles  long 
and  stoutly  contended  for  by  Tecurnseh,  that  the  In- 
dian lands  were  the  common  property  of  all  the  tribes, 
and  could  not  be  sold  without  the  consent  of  all. 

"  The  subject  of  allowing  the  Indians  of  this  coun- 
try to  consider  all  their  lands  as  common  property,  has 
been  frequently  and  largely  discussed,  in  my  commu- 
nications with  your  predecessor,  and  in  a  personal 
interview  with  the  late  President.  The  treaties  made 
by  me  last  fall  were  concluded  on  principles  as  liberal 
towards  the  Indians,  as  my  knowledge  of  the  views 
and  opinions  of  the  government  would  allow.  For 
although  great  latitude  of  discretion  has  always  been 
given  to  me,  I  knev/  that  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Jefferson 
on  the  subject  went  so  far  as  to  assert  a  claim  of  the 
United  States,  as  lords  paramount,  to  the  lands  of  all 
extinguished  or  decayed  tribes,  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
recent  settlers.  Upon  this  principle,  the  Miami  nation 
are  the  only  rightful  claimants  of  all  the  unpurchased 
lands  from  the  Ohio  to  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  riv- 
ers. But,  sir,  the  President  may  rest  assured  tliat  the 
comi^laint  of  iniurv^  with  regard  to  the  sale  of  lands- 
is  a  mere  pretence  suggested  to  the  Prophet  by  British 
partisans  and  emissaries." 


m 


i: 


132 


LIFE   OP   TECUMSEH. 


Early  in  July,  some  of  the  I^ophet's  f^lowexsje^ 
scended  the  Wabash  to  a  point  below  Terre  Haute, 
fnd  stole  several  horses,     A  few  -ys  a^erwards  g^^^ 
vernor  Harrison  ascertained  from  a  party  of  Indians 
who  were  on  a  visit  to  Vincennes,  that  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes  had  taken  up  the  hatchet,  and  declared  them- 
selves  ready  to   act  with  the  Prophet,  whenever  it 
should  be  required.     It  was  further   stated,  that  a 
M?ami  chief,  who  had  just  returned  from  his  annual 
visit  to  Maiden,  after  receiving  his  visual  stipend  ot 
goods,  was  addressed  by  the  British  agent   Elliot,  m 
these  words  :  «  My  son,  keep  your  eyes  fixed  on  me— 
my  tomahawk  is  now  up-be  you  ready,  but  do  not 
strike  till  I  give  the  signal."  . 

About  the  same  time,  the  governor,  m  the  hope  of 
staving  the  movements  of  the  Prophet,  or  at  leas  of 
ascertaining  the  amount  of  his  forces,  forwarded  to  him 
bv  a  confidential  interpreter,  the  folio wmg  speech: 

« William  Henry  Harrison,  governor  and  comriian- 
der-in-chief  of  the  territory  of  Indiana,  to  the  Shawa- 
noe  chief,  and  the  Indians  assembled  at  Tippecanoe  : 

«  Notwithstanding  the  improper  language  which  you 
have  used  towards  me,  I  will  endeavor  to  open  your 
eves  to  your  true  interests.  Notwithstandmg  what 
white  bad  men  have  told  you,  I  am  not  your  per^nal 
enemy  You  ought  to  know  this  from  the  mannor  in 
whi.  h  I  received  and  treated  you,  on  your  visit  to  this 

^  ^^Although  I  must  say,  that  you  are  an  enemy  U»  the 
Seventeen  Fires,  and  that  you  have  used  the  greatest 
exertions  with  other  tribes  to  lead  them  astray.  In 
this,  vou  have  been  in  some  measure  successful ;  as  1 
am  told  they  are  ready  to  raise  the  tomahawk  against 
their  father ;  yet  their  father,  notwithstanding  his  anger 
at  their  folly,  is  full  of  goodness,  and  is  always  ready 
to  receive  into  his  arms  those  of  his  chi  dren  who  are 
willing  to  repent,  acknowledge  their  fault,  and  ask  lor 
his  forgiveness.  , 

« There  is  yet  but  little  harm  done,  which  may  be 
easily  repaired.  The  chain  of  friendship  which  united 
the  whites  with  the  Indians,  may  be  renewed,  and  be 
as  strong  as  ever.     A  great  deal  of  that  work  depend* 


UPE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


123 


on  you — the  destiny  of  those  who  are  under  your  dhec- 
tion,  depends  upon  the  choice  you  may  make  of  the 
two  roads  which  are  before  you.  The  one  is  large, 
open  and  pleasant,  and  leads  to  peace,  security  and 
happiness;  the  other,  on  the  contrary,  is  narrow  and 
crooked,  and  leads  to  misery  and  ruin.  Don't  deceive 
yourselves ;  do  not  believe  that  all  the  nations  of  Indi- 
ans united,  are  able  to  resist  the  force  of  the  Seventeen 
Fires.  I  know  your  warriors  are  brave,  but  ours  are 
not  less  so ;  but  what  can  a  few  brave  warriors  do, 
against  the  innumerable  warriors  of  the  Seventeen 
Fires  ?  Our  blue  coats  are  more  numerous  than  you 
can  count ;  our  hunters  are  like  the  leaves  of  the  forest, 
or  the  grains  of  sand  on  the  Wabash. 

"  Do  not  think  that  the  red  coats  can  protect  you ; 
they  are  not  able  to  protect  themselves.  They  do  not 
think  of  going  to  war  with  us.  If  they  did,  you  would 
in  a  few  moons  see  our  flag  wave  over  all  the  forts  of 
Canada. 

"  What  reason  have  you  to  complain  of  the  Seven- 
teen Fires  ?  have  they  taken  any  thing  from  you — have 
they  ever  violated  the  treaties  made  with  the  red  men  ? 
You  say  that  they  purchased  lands  from  them  who  had 
no  right  to  sell  them :  show  that  this  is  true,  and  the 
land  will  be  instantly  restored.  Show  us  the  rightful 
owners  of  those  lands  which  have  been  purchased — let 
them  present  themselves.  The  ears  of  your  father  will 
be  opened  to  your  complaints,  and  if  the  lands  have 
been  purchased  of  those  who  did  not  own  them,  they 
will  be  restored  to  the  rightful  owners.  I  have  full 
power  to  arrange  this  business ;  but  if  you  would  rath- 
er carry  your  complaints  before  your  great  father,  the 
President,  you  shall  be  indulged.  I  will  immediately 
take  means  to  send  you  with  those  chiefs  which  you 
may  choose,  to  the  city  where  your  father  lives.  Eve- 
ry thing  necessary  shall  be  prepared  for  your  journey, 
and  means  taken  for  your  safe  return." 

Tecumseh  was  present  when  the  interpreter  deliv- 
ered this  speech.  The  Prophet  made  no  reply  to  it, 
but  promised  to  send  one  bv  his  brother,  who  intendedj 
in  a  few  weeks,  to  make  a  visit  to  governor  Harrison. 
In  conversation,  however,  with  the   interpreter,  the 


'■11 


.'tf.l 


'.m 


124 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


A  Prophet  strongly  disavowed  the  idea  that  he  had  any 
hostile  intentions;  but  at  the  same  time  declared,  that 
It  would  not  be  practicable  long  to  maintom  peace  with 
the  United  States,  unless  the  government  would  recog- 
nize the  principle,  that  the  lands  were  the  common 
property  of  all  the  Indians;  and  cease  to  make  any 
further  settlement  to  the  north  and  west.  "  The  Great 
Spirit"  continued  he,  «  gave  this  great  island  to  his  red 
children ;  he  placed  the  whites  on  the  other  side  of  the 
H^  water;  they  were  not  contented  with  their  own, 
but  came  to  take  ours  from  us.  They  have  driv^us 
from  the  sea  to  the  lakes :  we  can  go  no  further.     They 

•i  have  taken  upon  them  to  say,  this  tract  belongs  to  the 
Miamis,  this  to  the  Delawares,  and  so  on ;  but  the 
Great  Spirit  intended  it  as  the  common  property  of  us 
all  Our  father  tells  us,  that  we  have  no  business  upon 
the  Wabash,  the  land  belongs  to  other  tribes ;  but  the 
Great  Spirit  ordered  us  to  come  here,  and  here  we  will 
stay."  He  expressed  himself,  in  the  course  of  the  con- 
versation, gratified  with  the  speech  which  the  governor 
had  sent  him;  saying,  he  recollected  to  have  seen  him, 
when  a  very  young  man,  sitting  by  the  side  of  general 

Wayne.  ,      ^      ,    .,    ^ 

Some  of  the  Indians,  then  at  the  Prophet's  town, 
appeared  to  be  alarmed  at  the  arrival  of  the  interpreter, 
and  professed  themselves  dissatisfied  with  the  conduct 
of  their  leaders.  Tecumseh  told  him,  that  in  making 
his  promised  visit  to  the  governor,  he  should  bring 
with  him  about  thirty  of  his  principal  warriors;  and  as 
the  young  men  were  fond  of  attending  on  such  occa- 
sions, the  whole  number  might  probably  be  one  hun- 
dred The  Prophet  added,  that  the  governor  might 
expect  to  see  a  still  larger  number  than  that  named  by 

his  brother.  , 

Upon  the  return  of  the  interpreter  to  Vincennes,  the 
governor,  not  wishing  to  be  burthened  with  so  large  a 
body  of  Indians,  despatched  a  messenger  to  Tecumseh, 
requesting  that  he  would  bring  with  him  but  a  few  ot 
his  followers.     This  request,  however,  was  wholly  dis- 

I j-4  .  — ;i  ^r.  iUc  lotw  of  Ano-nst-thfi  chief. attended 

by  four  hundred  warriors,  fully  armed  with  tomahawks 
and  war-clubs,  descended  the  Wabash  to  Vincennes,  for 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


1^5 


night 


the  purpose  of  holding  the  proposed  conference.  From 
a  family  letter  written  by  captain  Floyd,  then  com- 
manding at  fort  Kuox,  three  mi'es  above  Vincennes, 
under  date  of  1 4th  of  August,  1810,  the  following  ex- 
tract is  made,  referring  to  this  visit  of  the  chieftain  and 
his  war-like  retinue. 

"Nothing  new  has  transpired  since  my  last  letter  to 
you,  except  that  the  Shawanoe  Indians  have  come ; 
they  passed  tliis  garrison,  which  is  three  miles  above 
Vincennes,  on  Sunday  last,  in  eighty  canoes ;  they  were 
all  painted  in  the  most  terrific  manner:  they  were  stop- 
ped at  the  garrison  by  me,  for  a  short  time  :  I  examin- 
ed their  canoes  and  found  them  well  prepared  for  war, 
in  case  of  an  attack.  They  were  headed  by  the  broth- 
er of  the  Prophet,  (Tecumseh)  who,  perhaps,  is  one  of 
the  finest  looking  men  I  ever  saw — ^about  six  feet  high, 
straight,  with  large,  fine  features,  and  altogether  a  dar- 
ing, bold  looking  fellow.  The  governor's  council  with 
them  will  commence  to-morrow  morning.  He  has  di- 
rected me  to  attend." 

Governor  Harrison  had  made  arrangements  for  hold- 
ing the  council  on  the  portico  of  his  own  house,  which 
had  been  fitted  up  with  seats  for  the  occasion.  Here, 
un  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth,  he  awaited  the  arrival 
of  the  chief,  being  attended  by  the  judges  of  the  Su- 
preme Court,  some  officers  of  the  army,  a  sergeant  and 
twelve  men,  from  fort  Knox,  and  a  large  number  of 
citizens.  At  the  appointed  hour  Tecumseh,  supported 
by  forty  of  his  principal  warriors,  made  his  appearance, 
the  remainder  of  his  followers  being  encamped  in  the 
village  and  its  environs.  When  the  chief  had  ap- 
proached within  thirty  or  forty  yards  of  the  house,  lie 
suddenly  stopped,  as  if  awaiting  some  advances  from 
the  governor.  An  interpreter  was  sent  requesting  him 
and  his  followers  to  take  seats  on  the  portico.  To  this 
Tecumseh  objected — he  did  not  think  the  place  a  suita- 
ble one  for  holding  the  conference,  but  preferred  that  it 
should  take  place  in  a  grove  of  trees, — to  which  he 
pointed, — standing  a  short  distance  from  the  house. 
The  governor  said  he  had  no  objection  to  the  grove, 
except  that  there  were  no  seats  in  it  for  their  accom- 
modation.    Tecumseh  replied,  that  constituted  no  ob- 

h  2 


>  if 


y 


.'M 


126 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


jection  to  the  grove,  the  earth  being  the  most  suitable 
place  for  the  Indians,  who  loved  to  repose  upon  the  bo- 
som of  their  mother.  The  governor  yielded  the  point, 
and  the  benches  and  chairs  having  been  removed  to 
the  spot,  the  conference  was  begun,  the  Indians  being 
seated  on  the  grass. 

Tecumseh  opened  the  meeting  by  stating,  at  length, 
his  objections  to  the  treaty  of  fort  Wayne,  made  by  gov- 
ernor Harrison  in  the  previous  year;  and  in  the  course 
of  his  speech,  boldly  avowed  the  principle  of  his  party 
to  be,  that  of  resistance  to  every  cession  of  land,  unless 
made  by  all  the  tribes,  who,  he  contended,  formed  but 
one  nation.    He  admitted  that  he  had  threatened  to 
kill  the  chiefs  who  signed  the  treaty  of  fort  Wayne; 
4  and  that  it  was  his  fixed  determination  not  to  permit 
the  village  chiefs,  in  future,  to  manage  their  affairs,  but 
to  place  the  power  with  which  Mey  had  been  hereto- 
fore invested,  in  the  hands  of  the  war  chiefs.     The 
Americans,  he  said,  had  driven  the  Indians  from  the 
sea  coast,  and  would  soon  push  them  into  the  lakes; 
and,  while  he  disclaimed  all  intention  of  making  war 
upon  the  United  States,  he  declared  it  to  be  his  unal- 
terable resolution  to  take  a  stand,  and  resolutely  oppose 
the  further  intrusion  of  the  whites  upon  the  Indian 
lands.     He  concluded,  by  making  a  brief  but  impas- 
sioned recital  of  the  various  wrongs  and  aggressions 
inflicted  by  the  white  men  upon  the  Indians,  from  the 
commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  war  down  to  the 
period  of  that  council ;  all  of  which  was  calculated  to 
arouse  and  inflame  the  minds  of  such  of  his  followers 
as  were  present. 

The  governor  rose  m  reply,  and  in  examining  the 
right  of  Tecumseh  and  his  party  to  make  objections  to 
the  treaty  of  fort  Wayne,  took  occasion  to  say,  that  the 
Indians  were  not  one  nation,  having  a  common  prop- 
erty in  the  lands.  The  Miamis,  he  contended,  were 
the  real  owners  of  the  tract  on  the  Wabash,  ceded  by 
the  late  treaty,  and  the  Shawanoes  had  no  right  to  in- 
terfere in  the  case  ;  that  upon  the  arrival  of  the  whites 
on  this  continent,  they  had  found  the  Miamis  in  pos- 
session of  this  land,  the  Shawanoes  being  then  residents 
of  Georgia,  from  which  they  had  been  driven  by  tli« 


f, 

-•il 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


187 


Creeks,  and  that  it  was  ridiculous  lo  assert  that  the  red 
men  constituted  but  one  nation ;  for,  if  such  had  been 
the  intention  of  the  Great  Spirit,  he  would  not  have 
put  dilTerent  tongues  in  their  lieads,  but  have  taught 
theui  all  to  speak  the  same  language. 

The  governor  liaving  taken  his  seat,  the  interpre- 
ter commenced  explaining  the  speech  to  Tecumseh, 
who,  after  listening  to  a  portion  of  it,  sprimg  to  his 
feet  and  began  to  speak  with  great  vehemence  of 
manner. 

Tlie  governor  was  surprised  at  his  violent  gestures, 
but  as  he  did  not  understand  him,  thought  he  was  ma- 
king some  explanation,  and  suffered  his  attention  to  be 
drawn  towards  Winnemac,  a  friendly  Indian  lying  on 
the  grass  before  him,  who  was  renewing  the  priming 
of  his  pistol,  which  he  had  kept  concealed  from  the 
other  Indians,  but  in  full  view  of  the  governor.  His 
attention,  however,  was  again  directed  towards  Te- 
cumseh, by  hearing  general  Gibson,  who  was  intimate- 
ly acquainted  with  the  Shawanoe  language,  say  to  lieu- 
tenant Jennings,  "those  fellows  intend  mischief ;  you 
had  better  bring  up  the  guard."  At  that  moment,  the 
followers  of  Tecumseh  seized  their  tomahawks  and 
war  clubs,  and  sprung  upon  their  feet,  their  eyes  turned 
upon  the  governor.  As  soon  as  he  could  disengage 
himself  from  the  armed  chair  in  which  he  sat,  he  rose, 
drew  a  small  sword  which  he  had  by  his  side,  and 
stood  on  the  defensive.     Captain  G.  R.  Floyd,  of  the  ar- 

, ,  who  stood  near  him,  drew  a  dirk,  and  the  chief  Win- 
nac  cocked  his  pistol.  The  citizens  present,  were 
/b  numerous  than  the  Indians,  but  were  unarmed; 
some  of  them  procured  clubs  and  brick-bats,  and  also 
stood  on  the  defensive.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Winans,  of  the 
Methodist  church,  ran  to  the  governor's  house,  got  a 
gun,  and  posted  himself  at  the  door  to  defend  the  fami- 
ly. During  this  singular  scene,  no  one  spoke,  until  the 
guard  came  running  up,  and  appearing  to  be  in  the  act 
of  firing,  the  governor  ordered  them  not  to  do  so.  He 
then  demanded  of  the  interpreter,  an  explanation  of 
what  had  happened,  who  replied  that  Tecumseh  had 
interrupted  him,  declaring  that  all  the  governor  had 


:i 


ill 


Ml 


U8 


LIFE    or    TECUMSEH. 


yaid  was  false;  and  that  he  and  the  Seventeen  Fires 
liad  cheated  and  imposed  on  the  Indians.* 

Tlio  governor  tlien  told  Tecuniseh  that  he  was  a  bad 
man,  and  that  he  would  hold  no  I'urtlier  communication 
with  him ;  that  as  he  had  come  to  Vincennes  under  the 
protection  of  a  council-fire,  he  might  return  in  safety, 
but  that  he  must  immediately  leave  the  village.  Here 
the  council  terminated.  During  the  night,  two  compa- 
nies of  militia  were  brought  in  from  the  country,  and 
that  belongnig  to  the  town  was  also  embodied.  Next 
morning  I'ecumseh  requested  the  governor  to  afford 
him  an  opportunity  of  explaining  liis  conduct  on  the 
previous  day — declaring,  that  he  did  not  intend  to  at- 
tack the  governor,  and  that  he  had  acted  under  the 
advice  of  some  of  the  white  people.  The  governor 
consented  to  another  interview,  it  being  understood  that 
each  party  should  have  the  same  armed  force  as  on  the 
previous  day.  On  this  occasion,  the  deportment  ol" 
Tecnmseh  was  respectful  and  dignified.  He  again  de- 
nied having  had  any  intention  to  make  an  attack  upon 
the  governor,  and  declared  that  he  had  been  stimulated 
to  the  course  he  had  taken,  by  two  white  men,  who 
assured  him  that  one  half  of  the  citizens  were  opposed 
to  the  governor,  and  willing  to  restore  the  land  in  ques- 
tion; that  the  governor  would  soon  be  put  out  of  of- 
fice, and  a  good  man  sent  to  fill  his  place,  who  would 
give  up  the  land  to  the  Indians.  When  asked  by  the 
governor  whether  he  intended  to  resist  the  survey  of 
these  lands,  Tecnmseh  replied  that  he  and  his  followers 
were  resolutely  determined  to  insist  upon  the  old  boun- 
dary. When  he  had  taken  his  seat,  chiefs  from  the 
Wyandots,  Kickapoos,  Potawatamies,  Ottawas,  and 
Winnebagoes,  spoke  in  succession,  and  distinctly  avow- 
ed that  they  had  entered  into  the  Shawanoe  confede- 
racy, and  were  determined  to  support  the  principles 
laid  down  by  their  leader.  The  governor,  in  conclu- 
sion, stated  that  he  would  make  known  to  the  Presi- 
dent, the  claims  of  Tecnmseh  and  his  party,  to  the  land 
in  question ;  but  that  he  was  satisfied  the  government 


Dawson's  Historical  Narrative. 


or. 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


129 


would  never  admit  that  the  lands  on  the  Wabash  were 
the  property  of  tiny  oilier  tribes  than  those  who  occu- 
pied them,  when  the  white  people  first  arrived  in 
America;  and,  as  the  title  to  these  lands  had  ^^oen 
derived  by  purchase  from  those  tribes,  he  might  rest 
assured  that  the  right  of  the  United  States  would  be 
sustained  by  the  sword.    Here  the  council  adjourned. 

On  the   following  day,  governor   Harrison  visited 
Tecumseh  in  his  camp,  attended  only  by  the  interpre- 
ter, and  was  very  politely  received.     A  long  conversa- 
tion ensued,  in  which  Tecumseh  again  declared  that 
his  intentions  were  really  such  as  he  had  avowed  them 
to  be  in  the  council ;  that  the  policy  which  the  United 
States  pursued,  of  purchasing  lands  from  the  Indians, 
he  viewed  as  a  mighty  water,  ready  to  overflow  his 
people ;  and  that  the  confederacy  which  he  was  form- 
ing among  the  tribes  to  prevent  any  individual  tribe 
from  selling  without  the  consent  of  the  others,  was  the 
dam  he  was  erecting  to  resist  this  mighty  water.     He 
stated  further,  that  he  should  be  reluctantly  drawn  into 
a  war  with  the  United  States ;  and  that  if  he,  the  go- 
vernor, would  induce  the  President  to  give  up  the  lands 
lately  purchased,  and  agree  never  to  make   another 
treaty  without  the  consent  of  all  the  tribes,  he  would 
be  their  faithful  ally  and  assist  them  in  the  war,  which 
he  knew  was  about  to  take  place  with  England;  that 
he  preferred  being  the  ally  of  the  Seventeen  Fires,  but 
if  they  did  not  comply  with  his  request,  he  would  be 
compelled  to  unite  with  the   British.     The   governor 
replied,  that  he  would  make  known  his  views  to  the 
President,  but  that  there  was  no  probability  of  their 
being   agreed   to.     "Well,"  said   Tecumseh,  "as  the 
great  chief  is  to  determine  the  matter,  I  hope  the  Great 
Spirit  will  put  sense  enough  into  his  head  to  induce 
him  to  give  up  this  land :  it  is  true,  he  is  so  far  off  he 
will  not  be  injured  by  the  war  ;  he  may  sit  still  in  his 
town  and  drink  his  wine,  whilst  you  and  I  will  have 
to  fight  it  out."     This  prophecy,  it  will  be  seen,  was 
literally  fulfilled ;  and  the  great  chieftain  who  uttered 
it,  attested  that  fulfilmem  with  his  blood.     The  govern- 
or, in  conclusion,  proposed  to  Tecumseh,  that  in  tne 
event  of  hostilities  between  the  Indians  and  the  United 


Ir 


nr 

L'      at 


ft, 


130 


I.IFK    OF   TECUMSKH. 


Slates,  he  should  use  his  influence  to  put  an  end  to  the 
cruel  modo  ot'  wadare  which  the  Indians  were  accus- 
tomed to  wage  upon  women  and  children,  or  upon  pri- 
soners. To  this  he  cheerfully  assented ;  and,  it  is  due 
to  the  memory  of  Tecumseh  to  add,  that  lie  faithfully 
kept  his  promise  down  to  the  period  of  his  death.* 

Whether  in  this  council  Tecumseh  really  meditated 
treachery  or  only  intended  to  intimidate  the  governor, 
must  remain  a  matter  of  conjecture.  If  the  former,  his 
force  of  four  hiuidred  well  armed  warriors  was  suffi- 
cient to  have  murdered  the  inhabitants  and  sacked  the 
town,  which  at  that  time  did  not  contain  more  than 
one  thousand  persons,  including  women  and  children. 

When  in  the  progress  of  the  conference,  he  and  his 
forty  followers  sprung  to  their  arms,  there  would  have 
been,  in  all  probability,  a  corresponding  movement 
with  the  remainder  of  his  warriors  encamped  in  and 
around  the  village,  had  he  seriously  contemplated  an 
attack  upon  the  governor  and  the  inhabitants.  But 
this  does  not  appear  to  have  been  the  case.  It  is  pro- 
bable, therefore,  that  Tecumseh,  in  visiting  Vincennes 
with  so  large  a  body  of  followers,  expected  to  make  a 
strong  impression  upon  the  whites  as  to  the  extent  of 
his  influence  among  the  Indians,  and  the  strength  of  his 
party.  His  movement  in  the  council  may  have  been 
concerted  for  the  purpose  of  intimidating  the  governor ; 
but  the  more  probable  supposition  is,  that  in  the  ex- 
citement of  the  moment,  produced  by  the  speech  of  the 
governor,  he  lost  his  self-possession,  and  involuntarily 
placed  his  hand  upon  his  war-club,  in  which  move- 
ment he  was  followed  by  the  warriors  around  him, 
without  any  previous  intention  of  proceeding  to  ex- 
tremities. Whatever  may  have  been  the  fact,  the  bold 
chieftain  found  in  governor  Harrison  a  firmness  of  pur- 
pose and  an  intrepidity  of  manner  which  nmst  have 
convhiced  him  that  nothing  was  to  be  gained  by  an  ef- 
fort at  intimidation,  however  daring. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  this  memorable  council,  go- 

*  In  Marshall's  History  of  Kentucky,  vol.  2.  p.  482,  there,  is  a  speech 
quoted  as  having  been  delivered  by  Tecumseh  at  this  council.  We  are 
authorised,  on  the  best  authority,  to  say  that  it  is  a  sheer  fabrication.  No 
such  ypecch  was  delivered  by  him  at  the  council. 


LIFJB    OF    TJaCUMSBH. 


131 


vcrnor  Harrison  made  arrangements  tor  tlio  survey 
of  the  l.uid  purchased  at  the  treaty  of  fort  Wayne,  un- 
fler  the  protection  of  a  detachment  of  soldiers.     About 
the    same    time,  "a  young   Iowa   chief,   wliom   the 
ijovernor  had  employed  to  go  to  the  Prophet's  town 
to  gain  information,  reported,  on  his  return,  that  he 
had  been  told  by  an  old  Winnebago  chief,  who  was 
his  relation,  that  the  great  Belt  which  liad  been  sent 
round   to   all   the  tribes,  for   the   purpose   of   uniting 
them,  was  returned  ;  and  he  mentioned  a  considerable 
number  who  liad  acceded  to  the  confederacy,  the  ob- 
ject of  wliich  was  "  to  confine  the  great  water  and 
prevent  it  from  overflowing   them."     That  the   belt 
since  its  return  had  been  sent  to  the  British  agent,  who 
danced  for  joy  at  seeing  so  many  tribes  had  joined 
against  the  United  States.    That  the  Propliet  had  sent  a 
speech  to  his  confedrates  not  to  be  discouraged  at  the 
apparent  defection  of  some  of  the  tril)cs  near  him  •,  for 
that  it  was  all  a  sham,  intended  to  deceive  the  white 
people;  that  these  tribes  hated  the  Seventeen  Fires; 
and  that  though  they  gave  them  sweet  words,  they 
were  like  grass  plucked  up  by  the  roots,  they  would 
soon  wither  and  come  to  nothing.     The  old  Winne- 
bago chief  told  him  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  that  he  him- 
self and  all  the  village  chiefs,  had  been  divested  of  their 
power,  and  that  everything  was  managed  by  the  war- 
riors, who  breathed  nothing  but  war  against  the  Uni- 
ted States.*" 

Governor  Harrison,  in  his  address  to  the  legislature 
of  Indiana,  in  the  month  of  November  of  this  year, 
refers  to  the  difficulties  with  the  Indians  at  Tippecanoe ; 
and  bears  testimony  to  the  fact,  that  the  Proi)liet  and  Te- 
cumseh  were  histigated  to  assume  a  hostile  attitude  to- 
wards the  United  States,  by  British  influence.    He  says, 

« It  is  with  regret  that  I  have  to  inform  you  that  the 
harmony  and  good  understanding  which  it  is  so  much 
our  interest  to  cultivate  with  our  neighbors,  the  abo- 
rigines, have  for  some  time  past  experienced  consider- 
able interruption,  and  that  we  have  indeed  been  threat- 
ened with  hostilities,  by  a  combination  formed  under 


i  m 


^ 


*  Dawson's  Historical  Narrative. 


132 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


1 

11 

i 

iia^. 

the  auspices  of  a  bold  adventurer,  who  pretends  to  act 
under  the  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Deity.  His 
character  as  a  Prophet  would  not,  however,  have  giv- 
en him  any  very  dangerous  infiaence,  if  lie  had  not 
been  assisted  by  the  intrigues  and  advice  of  foreign 
agents,  and  other  disaffected  persons,  who  have  lor 
many  years  omitted  no  opportunity  of  counteracting 
the  rneasures  of  the  government  with  regard  to  the  In- 
dians, and  filling  their  naturally  jealous  niiiids  with 
suspicions  of  the  justice  and  integrity  of  our  views  to- 
wards them." 

That  our  government  was  sincerely  desirous  of  pre- 
serving peace  with  these  disaffected  Indians,  a|)})ears 
from  the  following  extract  of  a  letter  from  the  Secretary 
of  War,  to  governor  Harrison,  written  in  the  autunui 
of  this  year.  "  It  has  occurred  to  me,"  said  the  Secre- 
tary, "  that  the  surest  means  of  securing  good  behavior 
from  this  conspicuous  personage  and  his  brother,  [the 
Prophet  and  Tecumseh]  would  be  to  make  them  pri- 
soners ;  but  at  this  time,  more  particularly,  it  is  desira- 
ble that  peace  with  all  the  Indian  tribes  should  be  pre- 
served ;  and  I  am  instructed  by  the  President  to  express 
to  your  excellency  his  expectations  and  confidence,  that 
in  all  your  arrangements,  this  may  be  considered,  (as  I 
am  confident  it  ever  has  been)  a  primary  object  with 
you." 

During  the  autumn,  a  Kickapoo  chief  visited  Vin- 
cennes,  and  informed  the  governor  that  the  pacific  pro- 
fessions of  the  Prophet  and  Tecumseh  were  not  to  be 
relied  on, — that  their  ultimate  designs  were  hostile  to 
the  United  States.  At  the  same  time  governor  Clark, 
of  Missouri,  forwarded  to  the  governor  of  Indiana  in- 
forjiiation  that  the  Prophet  had  sent  belts  to  the  tribes 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  inviting  them  to  join  in  a  war 
against  the  United  States ;  and,  stating  that  he  would 
commence  the  contest  by  an  attack  on  Vincennes. 
Governor  Clark  further  said,  that  the  Sacs  had  at  length 
joined  the  Tippecanoe  confederacy,  and  that  a  party 
of  them  had  gone  to  Maiden  for  arms  and  ammunition. 

1   IJ1_       Xll*vJ.lC.t.lX      illl^-i  pi^  LUJ.  ,    Lit     ■t.-ilJLVt.tgVj    <.»! ...-     j_—   . 

ernor  Harrison,  that  the  tribes  in  that  quarter  were 
disaffected  towards  the  United  States,  and  seemed  de- 


I 


■     ■!    'i 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


133 


termined  upon  war.  One  of  the  surveyors,  engaged 
to  run  the  lines  of  the  new  purchase,  was  driven  off  the 
lands  by  a  party  of  the  Wea  tribe,  who  took  two  of  his 
men  prisoners:  thus  closed  the  year  1810. 


I- 

I,'  I 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


\Iann  on  the  frontier  continues — a  Muskoe  Indian  killed  at  Vincennes— 
governor  Harrison  sends  a  pacific  speech  to  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet 
— the  former  replies  to  it — in  July  Tecumseh  visits  governor  Harrison  at 
Vincennes — disavows  any  intention  of  making  war  upon  the  whites — 
explains  his  object  in  forming  a  union  among  the  tribes — governor  Har- 
rison's opinion  of  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet — murder  of  the  Deaf  Chief 
—Tecumseh  visits  the  southern  Indians. 

The  spring  of  1811  brought  with  it  no  abatement  of 
these  border  difficulties.  Early  in  the  season,  governor 
Harrison  sent  a  boat  up  the  Wabash,  loaded  with  salt 
for  the  Indians, — that  article  constituting  a  part  of  their 
annuity.  Five  barrels  were  to  be  left  with  the  Pro- 
phet, for  the  Kickapoos  and  Shawanoes.  Upon  the 
arrival  of  the  boat  at  Tippecanoe,  the  Prophet  called  a' 
council,  by  which  it  was  decided  to  seize  the  whole  of 
the  salt,  which  was  promptly  done — word  being  sent 
back  to  the  governor,  not  to  be  angry  at  this  measure, 
as  the  Prophet  had  two  thousand  men  to  feed;  and, 
had  not  received  any  salt  for  tw(/  years  past.  There 
were  at  this  time  about  six  hundred  men  at  Tippeca- 
noe ;  and,  Tecumseh,  who  had  been  absent  for  some 
time,  on  a  visit  to  the  lakes,  was  expected  daily,  with 
large  reinforcements.  From  appearances,  it  seemed  pro- 
bable that  an  attack  was  meditated  on  Vincennes  by 
these  brothers,  with  a  force  of  eight  hundred  or  one 
thousand  Avarriors ;  a  number  far  greater  than  the  gov- 
ernor could  collect,  even  if  he  embodied  all  the  militia 
for  some  miles  around  that  place.  He  accordingly 
wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  recommending  that  the 
4th  reffiment  of  U,  S=  troops,  then  at  Pittsburg:,  under 
the  command  of  colonel  Boyd,  should  be  ordered  to 
Vincennes;  at  the  sam«  time  asking  for  authority  to 

M 


I' 


I 


i 


m 


134 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


\: 


I 


«i 


act  offensively  against  the  Indians,  so  soon  as  it  was 
found  that  the  intentions  of  their  leaders  were  decided- 
ly hostile  towards  the  United  States. 

Under  date  of  June  6th,  governor  Harrison,  in  a  let- 
ter to  the  war  department,  expresses  the  opinion  that 
the  disposition  of  the  Indians  is  far  from  being  pacific. 
Wells,  the  agent  at  fort  Wayne,  had  visited  the  Pro- 
phet's town,  relative  to  some  stolen  horses,  and  certain 
Potawatamies  who  had  committed  the  murders  on  the 
Mississippi.     Four  of  the  horses  were  recovered,  but 
Tecumseh  disclaimed  all  agency  in  taking  them,  al 
though  he  acknowledged  that  it  was  done  by  some  ot 
his  party.  •  Tecumseh  openly  avov/ed  to  the  agent  his 
resolute  determination  to  resist  the  further  encroach- 
ments of  the  white  people.     In  this  letter  the  governor 
remarks,  "  1  wish  I  could  say  the  Indians  were  treated 
with  justice  and  propriety  on  all  occasions  by  our  citi- 
zens ;  but  it  is  far  otherwise.     They  are  often  abused 
and  maltreated;  a.:d  it  is  very  rare  that  they  obtain 
any  satisfaction  for  the  most  unprovoked  wrongs."  He 
proceeds  to  relate  the  circumstance  of  a  Muskoe  In- 
dian having  been  killed  by  an  Italian  innkeeper,  in  Vin- 
cennes,  without  any  just  cause.     The  murderer,  under 
fhe  orders  of  the  governor,  was  apprehended,  tried,  but 
acquitted  by  the   jury   almost  without    deliberation. 
About  the  same  time,  within  twenty  miles  of  Vincennes, 
two  Weas  were  badly  wounded  by  a  white  man  with- 
out the  smallest  provocation.     Such  aggressions  tended 
greatly  to  exasperate  the  Indians,  and  to  prevent  them 
from  delivering  up  such  of  their  people  as  committed 
offences  against  the  citizens  of  the  United  States.    Such 
was  the  fact  with  the  Delawares,  upon  a  demand  from 
the  governor  for  White  Turkey,  who  had  robbed  the 
house  of  a  Mr.  Vawter.     The  chiefs  refused  to  surren- 
der him,  declaring  that  they  would  never  deliver  up 
another  man  until  some  of  the  whites  were  punished, 
who  had  murdered  their  people.    They,  however,  pun- 
ished White  Turkey  themselves,  by  putting   him  to 
death. 

On  the  .24th  of  June,  soon  after  the  return  of  Tecum- 
seh from  his  visit  to  the  Iroquois  and  Wyandots,  for 
the  purpose  of  increasing  his  confederacy,  governor 


LIFE    Oi*   TECUMSEH. 


135 


Harrison  transmitted  to  him  and  tiie  Prophet,  together 
with  the  other  chiefs  at  Tippecanoe,  the  following 
speech : 

"Brothers, — Listen  to  me.  I  speak  to  you  about 
matters  of  importance,  both  to  the  white  people  and 
yourselves;  open  your  ears,  therefore,  and  attend  to 
what  I  shall  say. 

« Brothers,  this  is  the  third  year  that  all  the  white 
people  in  this  country  have  been  alarmed  at  your  pro- 
ceedings ;  you  threaten  us  with  war,  you  invite  all  the 
tribes  to  the  north  and  west  of  you  to  join  against  us. 

"  Brothers,  your  warriors  who  have  lately  been  here, 
deny  this;  but  I  have  received  the  information  from 
every  direction ;  the  tribes  on  the  Mississippi  have  sent 
me  word  that  you  intended  to  murder  me,  and  then  to 
commence  a  war  upon  our  people.  I  have  also  receiv- 
ed the  speech  you  sent  to  the  Potawatamies  and  oth- 
ers, to  join  you  for  that  purpose ;  but  if  I  had  no  other 
evidence  of  your  hostility  to  us,  your  seizing  the  salt 
I  lately  sent  up  the  Wabash,  is  sufficient. 

"  Brothers,  our  citizens  are  alarmed,  and  my  warri- 
ors are  preparing  themselves;  not  to  strike  you,  but 
to  defend  themselves  and  their  women  and  children. 
You  shall  not  surprise  us  as  you  expect  to  do  ;  you  are 
about  to  undertake  a  very  rash  act ;  as  a  friend,  I  ad- 
vise you  to  consider  well  of  it ;  a  little  reflection  may 
save  us  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  prevent  much  mis- 
chief; it  is  not  yet  too  late. 

"  Brothers,  what  can  be  the  inducement  for  you  to 
undertake  an  enterprise  when  there  is  so  little  proba- 
bility of  success  ;  do  you  really  think  that  the  handful 
of  men  that  you  have  about  you,  are  able  to  contend 
with  the  Seventeen  Fires,  or  even  that  the  whole  of 
the  tribes  united,  could  contend  against  the  Kentucky 
Fire  alone  ? 

"  Brothers,  I  am  myself  of  the  long  knife  fire ;  as 
soon  as  they  hear  my  voice,  you  will  see  them  poiu'ing 
forth  their  swarms  of  hunting  shirt  men,  as  numerous 
as  the  musquetoes  on  the  shores  of  the  Wabash  ;  bro- 
thdrs,  take  care  of  their  stings. 

"  Brothers,  it  is  not  our  wish  to  hurt  you :  if  we  did, 
we  certainly  have  power  to  do  it ;  look  at  the  number 


■*^i 


136 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


of  our  warriors  to  the  east  of  you,  above  and  below 
the  Great  Miami, — to  the  south,  on  both  sides  of  the 
Ohio,  and  below  you  also.  You  are  brave  men  ;  but 
what  could  you  do  against  such  a  multitude  ? — ^but  we 
wish  you  to  live  in  peace  and  happiness. 

"  Brothers,  the  citizens  of  this  country  are  alarmed  ; 
they  must  be  satisfied  that  you  have  no  design  to  do 
them  mischief,  or  they  will  not  lay  aside  their  arms. 
You  have  also  insulted  the  government  of  the  United 
States  by  seizing  the  salt  that  was  intended  for  other 
tribes ;  satisfaction  must  be  given  for  that  also. 
.  «  Brothers,  you  talk  of  coming  to  see  me,  attended 
by  all  your  young  men;  this,  however,  must  not  be 
so  ;  if  your  intentions  are  good,  you  have  no  need  to 
bring  but  a  few  of  your  young  men  with  you.  I  must 
be  plain  with  you ;  I  will  not  suffer  you  to  come  into 
our  settlements  with  such  a  force. 

«  Brothers,  if  you  wish  to  satisfy  us  tliat  your  inten- 
tions are  good,  follow  the  advice  that  I  have  given  you 
before  ;  that  is,  that  one  or  both  of  you  should  visit  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  lay  your  grievan- 
ces before  him.  He  will  treat  you  well,  will  listen  to 
what  you  say,  and  if  you  can  show  him  that  you  have 
been  injured,  you  will  receive  justice.  If  you  will  fol- 
low my  advice  in  this  respect,  it  will  convince  the  citi- 
zens of  this  country  and  myself  that  you  have  no  de- 
sign to  attack  them. 

«  Brothers,  with  respect  to  the  lands  that  were  pur- 
chased last  fall,  I  can  enter  into  no  negociations  with 
you  on  that  subject ;  the  affair  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
President,  if  you  wish  to  go  and  see  him,  I  will  supply 
you  with  the  means. 

"  Bi  others,  the  person  who  delivers  this,  is  one  of  my 
war  olticers ;  he  is  a  man  in  whom  I  have  entire  con- 
fidence :  whatever  he  says  to  you,  although  it  may  not 
be  contained  in  this  paper,  you  may  believe  comes 
from  me. 

"  JMy  friend  Tecumseh!  the  bearer  is  a  good  man  and 
a  brave  warrior ;  I  hope  you  will  treat  him  well ;  you 
are  yourself  a  warrior,  and  all  such  should  have  esteem 
for  each  other.'' 

Tecumseh  to  the  governor  of  Indiana,  in  reply : 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


137 


« Brother,  I  give  you  a  few  words  until  I  will  be 
with  you  myself. 

"Brother,  at  Vincennes,  I  wish  you  to  listen  to  me 
whilst  I  send  you  a  few  words,  and  I  hope  they  will 
ease  your  heart ;  I  know  you  look  on  your  young  men 
and  young  women  and  children  with  pity,  to  see  them 
so  much  alarmed. 

"Brother,  I  wish  you  now  to  examine  what  you 
have  from  me ;  I  hope  that  it  will  be  a  satisfaction  to 
you,  if  your  intentions  are  like  mine,  to  wash  away  all 
these  bad  stories  that  have  been  circulated.  I  will  be 
with  you  myself  in  eighteen  days  from  this  day. 

«  Brother,  v^e  cannot  say  what  will  become  of  us,  as 
the  Great  Spirit  has  the  management  of  us  all  at  his 
will.  I  may  be  there  before  the  time,  and  may  not  be 
there  until  the  day.  I  hope  that  when  we  come  to- 
gether, all  these  bad  tales  will  be  settled ;  by  this  I  hope 
your  young  men,  women  and  children,  will  be  easy. 
I  wish  you,  brother,  to  let  them  know  when  I  come  to 
Vincennes  and  see  you,  all  will  be  settled  in  peace  and 
happiness. 

"Brother,  these  are  only  a  few  words  to  let  you 
know  that  I  will  be  with  you  myself,  and  when  I  am 
with  you  I  can  inform  you  better. 

« Brother,  if  I  find  that  I  can  be  with  you  in  less 
time  than  eighteen  days,  I  will  send  one  of  my  young 
men  before  me,  to  let  you  know  what  time  I  will  be 
with  you." 

On  the.  second  of  July,  governor  Harrison  received 
information  from  the  executive  of  Illinois,  that  several 
murders  had  been  committed  in  that  territory;  and 
that  there  were  good  grounds  for  believing  these  crimes 
had  been  perpetrated  by  a  party  of  Shawanoes.  The 
governor  had  been  previously  informed  that  it  was  the 
design  of  the  Prophet  to  commence  hostilities  in  Illi- 
nois, in  order  to  cover  his  main  object — the  attack  on 
Vincennes.  Both  territories  were  in  a  state  of  great 
alarm ;  and  the  Secretary  of  War  was  officially  notified, 
that  if  the  general  government  did  not  take  measures 
to  protect  the  inhabitants,  they  were  determined  to  pro- 
tect themselves. 

In  a  letter  under  date  of  Vincennes,  10th  July,  1811, 

M  2 


m 


',i! 


'I    ^  I 


- 'I 


138 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


in 


i1?r 


\- 


fit    >     , 


governor  Harrison  writes  as  follows  to  the  Secretary 

of  War. 

"Captain  Wilson,  the  officer  whom  I  sent  to  the  Pro- 
phet's town,  returned  on  Sunday  last.     He  was  well  re- 
ceived, and  treated  with  particular  friendship  by  Tecum- 
seh.     He  obtained,  however,  no  satisfaction.     The  only 
answer  given  was,  that  in  eighteen  days  Tecumseh 
would  pay  me  a  visit  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  his 
conduct.     Upon  being  told  that  I  wouM  not  suffer  him 
to  come  with  so  large  a      '      he  promised  to  bring 
with  him  a  few  men  onl>         shall  not,  however,  de- 
pend upon  this  promise,  bm  shall  have  the  river  well 
watched  by  a  party  of  scouts  after  the  descent  of  the 
chief,  lest  he  should  be  followed  by  his  warriors.     I  do 
not  think  that  this  will  be  the  case.     The  detection  of 
the  hostile  designs  of  an  Indian,  is  generally  (for  that 
time)  to  defeat  them.     The  hopes  of  an  expedition, 
conducted  through  many  hundred  miles  of  toil  and  dif- 
ficulty, are  abandoned  frequently,  upon  the  slightest 
suspicion;    their  painful   steps  retraced,  and  a  more 
favorable  moment  expected.     With  them  the  surprise 
of  an  enemy  bestows  more  eclat  upon  a  warrior  than 
the  most  brilliant  success  obtained  by  other  means. 
Tecumseh  has  taken  for  his  model  the  celebrated  Pon- 
tiac,  and  I  am  persuaded  he  will  bear  a  favorable  com- 
parison, in  every  respect,  with  that  far  famed  warrior. 
If  it  is  his  object  to  begin  with  the  surprise  of  this 
place,  it  is  impossible  that  a  more  favorable  situation 
could  have  been  chosen,  than  the  one  he  oQCupies :  it 
is  just  so  far  off  as  to  be  removed  from  immediate  ob- 
servation, and  yet  so  near  as  to  enable  him  t6  strike 
us,  when  the  water  is  high,  in  twenty-four  hours,  and 
even  when  it  is  low,  their  light  canoes  will  come  fully 
as  fast  as  the  journey  could  be  performed  on  horse- 
back.    The  situation  is  in  other  respects  admirable  for 
the  purposes  for  which  he  has  chosen  it.     It  is  nearly 
central  with  regard  to  the  tribes  which  he  wishes  to 
unite.     The  water  communication  with  lake  Erie,  by 
means  of  the  Wabash  and  Miami — with  lake  Michigan 
and  the  Illinois,  by  the  Tippecanoe,  is  a  great  conve- 
nience.     It  is  immediately  in  the  centre  of  the  back 
one  of  that  fine  country  which  he  wishes  to  prevent  us 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


139 


from  settling —and  above  all,  he  has  immediately  in  his 
rear  a  country  that  has  been  but  little  explored,  con- 
sisting principally  of  barren  thickets,  interspersed  with 
swamps  and  lakes,  into  which  our  cavalry  could  not 
penetrate,  and  our  infantry,  only  by  slow,  laborious 
efforts." 

The  promised  visit  of  Tecumseh  took  place  in  the 
latter  part  of  July.  He  reached  Vincennes  on  the  27th, 
attended  by  about  three  hundred  of  his  party,  of  whom 
thirty  were  women  and  children.  The  council  was 
opened  on  the  30th,  in  an  arbor  erected  for  the  purpose, 
and  at  the  appointed  time  the  chief  made  his  appear- 
ance, attended  by  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  war- 
riors, without  guns,  but  all  of  them  having  knives  and 
tomahawks,  or  war  clubs,  and  some  armed  with  bows 
and  arrows.  The  governor,  in  opening  the  council, 
made  reference  to  the  late  murders  in  Illinois,  and  the 
alarm  which  the  appearance  of  Tecumseh,  with  so 
large  an  armed  force,  had  created  among  the  people  on 
the  Wabash.  He  further  informed  Tecumseh  that, 
whilst  he  listened  to  whatever  himself  or  any  of  the 
chiefs  had  to  say  in  regard  to  the  late  purchase  of  land, 
he  would  enter  into  no  negociation  on  that  subject,  as 
it  was  now  in  the  hands  of  the  President.  The  gover- 
nor, after  telling  Tecumseh  that  he  was  at  liberty  to 
visit  the  President,  and  hear  his  decision  from  his  own 
mouth,  adverted  to  the  late  seizure  of  the  salt,  and  de- 
manded an  explanation  of  it.  In  reply,  the  chief  ad- 
mitted the  seizure,  but  said  he  was  not  at  home,  either 
this  spring  or  the  year  before,  when  the  salt  boats  arri- 
ved; that  it  seemed  impossible  to  please  the  governor: 
last  year  he  was  angry,  because  the  salt  was  refused, 
and  this  year  equally  so,  because  it  was  taken.  The 
council  was  then  adjourned  until  the  foUo^i  ing  day. 
When  it  was  again  opened,  a  Wea  chief  made  a  long 
speech,  giving  the  history  of  all  the  treaties  which  had 
been  made  by  the  governor  and  the  Indian  tribes ;  and 
concluded  with  the  remark,  that  he  had  been  told  that 
the  Miami  chiefs  had  been  forced  by  the  Potawatamies 
to  accede  to  the  treaty  of  fort  Wayne ;  and  that  it 
woulu  be  proper  to  institute  enquiries  to  linu  out  tuQ 
person  who  had  held  the  tomahawk  over  their  heads, 


140 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


and  punish  him.  This  statement  was  immediately  con- 
tradicted by  the  governor,  and  also  by  the  Miami  chiefs 
who  were  present.  Anxious  to  bring  the  conference  to 
a  close,  the  governor  then  told  Tecumseh  that  by  deliv- 
ering up  the  two  Potawatamies  who  had  murdered  the 
four  white  men  on  the  Missouri,  last  fall,  he  would  at 
once  attest  the  sincerity  of  his  professions  of  friendship 
to  the  United  States,  and  his  desire  to  preserve  peace. 
His  reply  was  evasive,  but  developed  very  clearly  his 
designs.  After  much  trouble  and  difficulty  he  had  in- 
\  duced,  he  said,  all  the  northern  tribes  to  unite,  and 
place  themselves  under  his  direction;  that  the  white 
people  were  unnecessarily  alarmed  at  his  measures, 
which  really  meant  nothing  but  peace ;  that  the  United 
States  had  set  him  the  example  of  forming  a  strict 
union  amongst  all  the  Fires  that  compose  their  confed- 
eracy ;  that  the  Indians  did  not  complain  of  it,  nor 
should  his  white  brothers  complain  of  him  for  doing 
the  same  thing  in  regard  to  the  Indian  tribes ;  that  so 
soon  as  the  council  was  over,  he  was  to  set  out  on  a 
visit  to  the  southern  tribes,  to  prevail  upon  them  to 
unite  with  those  of  the  nortj;^  As  to  the  murderers, 
they  were  not  at  his  town,  and  if  they  were,  he  could 
not  deliver  them  up  ;  that  they  ought  to  be  forgiven,  as 
well  as  those  who  had  committed  some  murders  in  Il- 
linois ;  that  he  had  set  the  whites  an  example  of  the 
forgiveness  of  injuries  which  they  ought  to  follow.  In 
reply  to  an  enquiry  on  the  subject,  he  said  he  hoped  no  }/' 
attempt  would  be  made  to  settle  the  new  purchase,  be- 
fore his  return  next  spring;  that  a  great  number  of 
Indians  were  coming  to  settle  at  Tippecanoe  in  the  au- 
tumn, and  they  would  need  that  tract  as  a  hunting 
ground,  and  if  they  did  no  further  injury,  they  might 
kill  the  cattle  and  hogs  of  the  white  people,  which 
would  create  disturbances ;  that  he  wished  every  thing 
to  remain  in  its  present  situation  until  his  return,  when 
he  would  visit  the  President,  and  settle  all  difficulties 
with  him.  The  governor  made  a  brief  reply,  saying, 
that  the  moon  which  they  beheld  (it  was  then  night) 
would  sooner  fall  to  the  earth,  than  the  President  would 
suuci  his  people  to  be  murdered  witu  impunity ;  anu 
that  he  would  put  his  warriors  in  petticoats,  sooner 


il 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


141 


)f  the 
.  In 
edno  4 


than  be  would  give  up  a  country  which  he  had  fairly 
acquii  'd  from  the  rightful  owners.  Here  the  council 
termhiated.  In  a  day  or  two  afterwards,  attended  by 
twenty  warriors,  Tecumseh  set  off  for  the  south,  on  a 
visit  to  the  Creeks  and  Choctaws.  The  governor  was 
at  a  loss  to  determine  the  object  of  Tecumseh,  in  taking 
with  liim  to  Vincennes,  so  large  a  body  of  his  follow- 
ers. The  spies  said  that  he  intended  to  demand  a 
retrocession  of  the  late  purchase,  and  if  it  was  not  ob- 
tained, to  seize  some  of  the  chiefs  who  were  active 
iu  making  the  treaty,  in  presence  of  the  governor,  and 
put  them  to  death ;  and  in  case  of  his  interference,  to 
have  subjected  him  to  the  same  fate.  Many  of  the 
neutral  Indians  entertained  the  opinion  that  he  medita- 
ted an  attack  upon  Vincennes.  If  such  was  the  case, 
his  plan  was  probably  changed  by  observing  the  vigi- 
lance of  governor  Harrison  and  the  display  of  seven  or 
eight  hundred  men  under  arms.  It  is  questionable, 
however,  we  think,  whether  Tecumseh  really  medita- 
ted violence  at  this  time.  He  probably  wished  to  im- 
press the  whites  with  an  idea  of  his  strength,  and  at  the» 
same  time  gratify  his  ambition  oi  moving,  as  a  great 
chieftain,  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  retinue  of  warriors. 

The  day  after  the  close  of  this  council,  the  governor 
wrote  to  the  War  Department.  The  following  is  a  part 
of  his  communication. 

"  My  letter  of  yesterday  will  inform  you  of  the  arri- 
val and  departure  of  Tecumseh  from  this  place,  and  of 
the  route  which  he  has  taken.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
his  object  is  to  excite  the  southern  Indians  to  war 
against  us.  His  mother  was  of  the  Creek  nation,  and 
he  builds  much  upon  that  circumstance  towards  for- 
warding  his  views.  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  danger  "^ 
of  further  hostility  until  he  returns :  and  his  absence 
affords  a  most  favorable  opportunity  for  breaking  up 
his  confederacy,  and  I  have  some  expectations  of  being 
able  to  accomplish  it  without  a  recourse  to  actual  hos- 
tility. Tecumseh  assigned  the  next  spring  as  the  pe- 
riod of  his  return.  I  am  informed,  however,  that  he 
will  be  back  in  three  months.  There  is  a  Potawata- 
mie  chici  here,  who  says  ne  was  present  wnsn  tiis 
message  from  the  British  agent  was  delivered  to  the 


la.    ii 


,  Ml 


142 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


t         *i     Ml  M 


Prophet,  telling  him  that  the  time  had  arrived  for  tak- 
ing up  arms,  and  inviting  him  to  send  a  party  to  Mai- 
den, to  receive  the  necessary  supplies.     Tiiis  man  is 
one  of  the  few  who  preserve  their  independence. 
^      "  The  implicit  obedience  and  respect  which  the  fol- 
lowers of  Tecumseh  pay  to  him,  is  really  astonishing, 
and  more  than  any  other  circumstance  bespeaks  him 
one   of  those  uncommon   geniuses   which   spring  up 
occasionally  to  produce  revolutions,  and  overturn  the 
established  order  of  things.     If  it  were  not  for  the 
vicinity  of  the  United  States,  he  would,  perhaps,  be  the 
founder  of  an  empire  that  would  rival  in  glory  Mexico 
or  Peru.     No  difficulties  deter  him.     For  four  years  he 
has  been  in  constant  motion.     You  see  him  to-day  on 
the  Wabash,  and  in  a  short  time  hear  of  him  on  the 
shores  of  lake  Erie  or  Michigan,  or  on  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi ;  and  wherever  he  goes  he  makes  an  im- 
pression favorable  to  his  purposes.     He  is  now  upon 
the  last  round  to  put  a  finishing  stroke  to  his  work.     I 
hope,  however,  before  his  return  that  that  part  of  the 
•  fabric  which  he  considered  complete,  will  be  demolish- 
ed, and  even  its  foundations  rooted  up.     Although  the 
greater  part  of  his  followers  are  attached  to  him  from 
principle  and  affection,  there  are  many  others  who  fol- 
low him  through  fear;  and  he  was  scarcely  a  mile 
from  town,  before  they  indulged  in  the  most  virulent 
invectives  against   him.      The   Prophet  is  impudent 
and  audacious,  but  is  deficient  in  judgment,  talents  and 
firmness." 

The  following  anecdote  illustrates  the  coolness  and 
self-possession  of  Tecumseh,  not  less  than  the  implicit 
obedience  that  was  paid  to  his  commands  by  his  fol- 
lowers. 

A  Potawatamie,  called  the  Deaf  Chief,  was  present 
at  the  late  council.  After  it  was  closed,  he  stated  to 
the  governor,  that  had  he  been  called  upon  during  the 
conference  he  would  have  confronted  Tecumseh,  when 
he  denied  that  his  intentions  towards  the  United  States 
were  hostile.  This  declaration  havhig  been  repeated 
to  Tecumseh,  he  calmly  intimated  to  the  Prophet,  that 
.~~, xi — ^v  --^t-f""*-*  ♦/>  nn'>-»i~'"'»'^»'>'^o  iVxp  Tioqf  (nhipf  rnii*!'- 

be  disposed  of.     A  friend  of  the  latter  informed  him  of 


M 


LIPE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


14$ 


his  danger,  but  the  chief,  not  at  ah  intimidated,  return- 
ed  to  liis  camp,  put  on  his  war-dress,  and  equipping 
himself  with  his  rifle,  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife, 
returned  and  presented  himself  before  Tecumseh,  who 
was  then  in  company  with  Mr.  Baron,  the  governor's 
interpreter.  The  De-af  Chief  there  reproached  Tecum- 
seh for  having  ordered  him  to  be  killed,  declaring  that 
it  was  an  act  unworthy  of  a  warrior.  "  But  here  I  am 
now,"  said  lie,  "  come  and  kill  me."  Tecumseh  mak- 
ing no  answer,  the  Potawatamie  heaped  upon  him 
every  term  of  abuse  and  contumely,  and  finalFy  charg- 
ed him  with  being  the  slave  of  the  red-coats,  (the  Bri- 
tish.) Tecumseh,  perfectly  unmoved,  made  no  reply, 
but  continued  his  conversation  with  Mr.  Baron,  until 
the  Deaf  Chief,  wearied  with  the  eftbrt  to  provoke  his 
antagonist  to  action,  returned  to  his  camp.  There  is 
some  reason  for  believing  that  the  Prophet  did  not  dis- 
obey his  orders :  the  Deaf  Chief  was  never  seen  again 
at  Vincennes. 

Of  the  result  of  the  mission  of  Tecumseh  to  the 
southern  tribes,  we  have  no  detailed  information, 
Hodgson,  who  subsequently  travelled  through  this 
country,  in  his  '« Letters  from  North  America,"  says  : 

«  Our  host  told  me  that  he  was  living  with  his  In- 
dian wife  among  the  Creeks,  when  the  celebrated  In- 
dian warrior  Tecumseh,  came  more  than  one  thousand 
miles,  from  the  borders  of  Canada,  to  induce  the  lower 
Creeks,  to  promise  to  take  up  the  hatchet  in  behalf  of 
Ihe  British,  against  the  Americans,  and  the  upper 
Creeks  whenever  he  should  require  it :  that  he  was 
present  at  the  miinight  convocation  of  the  chiefs, 
which  was  held  o.i  that  occasion,  and  which  termina- 
ted after  a  most  impressive  speech  from  Tecumseh 
with  a  unanimous  determination  to  take  up  the  hatchet 
whenever  he  should  call  upon  them.  This  was  at  least 
a  year  before  the  declaration  of  the  last  war.'- 

In  the  «  History  of  the  Tribes  of  North  America," 
there  is  an  interesting  notice  of  this  visit  of  Tecum- 
seh. 

«  The  following  remarkable  circumstance  may  servo 
to  illustrate  the  penetration,  ucCision  anu  uOi-oness  Oz 
this  warrior  chief.    He  had  been  south,  to  Blorida,  and 


if  11 


s 


144 


urn    or   T£CUMii£H. 


ni\ 


\  • 


Ml 

I '  1 


H     ' 


"^PV 


succeeded  in  instigating  the  Seminoles  in  particular, 
and  portions  of  other  tribes,  to  unite  in  tlie  war  on  the 
side  of  the  British.  He  gave  out  that  a  vessel,  on  a 
certain  day,  connnanded  by  red-coats,  would  be  off 
Florida,  filled  with  guns  and  ammunition,  and  supplies 
for  the  use  of  the  Indians.  That  no  mistake  might  ^ 
happen  in  regard  to  the  day  on  which  the  Indians  were 
to  strike,  he  prepared  bundles  of  sticks,  each  bundle 
containing  the  number  of  sticks  corresponding  to  the 
number  of  days  that  were  to  intervene  between  the 
day  on  which  they  were  received,  and  the  day  of  the 
general  onset.  The  Indian  practice  is  to  throw  away 
a  stick  every  morning ;  they  make,  therefore,  no  mis- 
take in  the  time.  These  sticks  Tecumseh  caused  to  be 
painted  red.  It  was  from  this  circumstance  that  in  the 
former  Seminole  war,  these  Indians  were  called  "  Red 
Sticks."  In  all  this  business  of  mustering  the  tribes, 
he  used  great  caution  ;  he  supposed  enquiry  would  be 
made  as  to  the  object  of  his  visit ;  that  his  plans  might 
not  be  suspected,  he  directed  the  Indians  to  reply  to 
any  questions  that  might  be  asked  about  him,  by 
saying,  that  he  had  counselled  them  to  cultivate  the 
ground,  abstain  from  ardent  spirits,  and  live  in  peace 
with  the  white  people.  On  his  return  from  Florida,  he 
went  among  the  Creeks  in  Alabama,  urging  them  to 
unite  with  the  Seminoles.  Arriving  at  Tuckhabatchee, 
a  Creek  town  on  the  Tallapoosa  river,  he  made  his  way 
to  the  lodge  of  the  chief  called  the  JBig  Warrior.  He 
explained  his  object,  delivered  his  war-talk,  presented 
a  bundle  of  sticks,  gave  a  piece  of  wampum  and  a 
hatchet ;  all  which  the  Big  Warrior  took.  When  Te- 
cumseh, reading  the  intentions  and  spirit  of  the  Big 
Warrior,  looked  him  in  the  eye,  and  pointing  his  finger 
towards  his  face,  said :  "  Your  blood  is  white :  you 
have  taken  my  talk,  and  the  sticks,  and  the  wampum, 
and  the  hatchet,  but  you  do  not  mean  to  fight:  I  know 
the  reason :  you  do  not  believe  the  Great  Spirit  has  sent 
me:  you  shall  know:  I  leave  Tuckhabatchee  directly, 
and  shall  go  straight  to  Detroit :  when  I  arrive  there,  I 
will  stamp  on  the  ground  with  my  foot,  and  shake 
down  everv  house  in  Tuckhabatchee^"  So  sa^^'ino"  hfi 
turned  and  left  the  Big  Warrior  in  utter  amazement,  at 


LlhH    OF    TfiOUM^UH. 


liJ 


both  his  manner  and  his  threat,  and  pursued  his  jour- 
ney. Th«  Indians  were  struck  no  less  with  his  con- 
(hict  than  was  the  Big  Warrior,  and  began  to  dreud  the 
arrival  of  the  day  when  the  threatened  calamity  would 
befal  them.  They  met  often  and  talked  over  this  mat- 
ter, and  counted  the  days  carefully,  to  know  the  time 
when  Teeumseh  would  reach  Detroit.  The  morning 
they  had  fixed  upon,  as  the  period  of  his  arrival,  at  last 
came.  A  mighty  rumbling  was  heard — the  Indians  all  / 
ran  out  of  their  houses — the  earth  began  to  shake ; 
when  at  last,  sure  enough,  every  house  in  Tnckha- 
batchee  was  shaken  down!  The  exclamation  was  in 
every  mouth,  "Teeumseh  has  got  to  Detroit!"  The 
effect  was  electrical.  The  message  he  had  delivered  to 
the  Big  Warrior  was  believed,  and  many  of  the  Indians 
took  their  rifles  and  prepared  for  the  war. 

"  The  reader  will  not  be  surprised  to  learn,  that  an 
earthquake  had  produced  all  this;  but  he  will  be, 
doubtless,  that  it  should  happen  on  the  very  day  on 
which  Teeumseh  arrived  at  Detroit ;  and,  in  exact  ful- 
filment of  his  threat.  It  was  the  famous  earthquake  • 
of  New  Madrid,  on  the  Mississippi.  We  received  the 
foregoing  from  the  lips  of  the  Indians,  when  we  were 
at  Tuckhabatchee,  in  1827,  and  near  the  residence  of 
the  Big  Warrior.  The  anecdote  may  therefore  be  re- 
lied on.  Tecumseti's  object,  doubtless,  was,  on  seeing 
that  he  had  failed,  by  the  usual  appeal  to  the  passions, 
and  hopes,  and  war  spirit  of  the  Indians,  to  alarm  their 
fears,  little  dreaming,  himself,  that  on  the  day  named, 
his  threat  would  be  executed  with  such  punctuality 
and  terrible  fidelity." 


il 


n 


"m 


N 


146 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSBH. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Grovernor  Harrison  applies  to  the  War  Department  for  troops  to  maintain 
peace  on  the  frontiers — ^battle  of  Tippecanoe  on  the  7th  of  November- 
its  influence  on  the  Prophet  and  his  followers. 

The  late  council  at  Vincennes  having  failed  in  pro- 
ducing any  satisfactory  results,  and  Tecumseh  having 
gone  to  the  south  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  extending 
his  confederacy,  the  alarm  among  the  inhabitants  of 
Indiana  continued  to  increase.  Public  meetings  were 
held,  and  memorials  forwarded  to  the  President,  invo- 
king protection,  and  requesting  the  removal  of  the  In- 
dians from  the  Prophet's  town;  the  memorialists  be- 
ing "  fully  convinced  that  the  formation  of  this  combi- 
nation, headed  by  the  Shawanoe  Prophet,  was  a  Bri- 
tish scheme,  and  that  the  agents  of  that  power  were 
constantly  exciting  the  Indians  to  hostility  against  the 

♦/United  States."  The  President  accordingly  placed  the 
4th  regiment  U.  S.  infantry,  commanded  by  colonel 
Boyd,  and  a  company  of  riflemen,  at  the  disposal  of 
governor  Harrison.  The  Secretary  of  War,  under  date 
of  20th  October,  1811,  in  a  letter  to  him,  says:  «I  have 
been  particularly  instructed  by  the  President  to  com- 
municate to  your  excellency,  his  earnest  desire  that 
peace  may,  if  possible,  be  preserved  with  the  Indians ; 
and  that  to  this  end,  every  proper  means  may  be  adopt- 
ed. By  this,  it  is  not  intended  that  murder  or  robbe- 
ries committed  by  them,  should  not  meet  with  the 
punishment  due  to  those  crimes ;  that  the  settlements 
should  be  unprotected,  or  that  any  hostile  combination 
should  avail  itself  of  success,  in  consequence  of  a  ne- 
glect to  provide  the  means  of  resisting  and  defeating  it ; 
or  that  the  banditti  under  the  Prophet  should  not  be 
attacked  and  vanquished,  provided  such  a  measure 
should  be  rendered  absolutely  necessary.  Circumstan- 
ces conspire,  at  this  particular  juncture,  to  render  it  pe- 
culiarly desirable  that  hostihties  of  any  kind,  or  to  any 
degree,  not  indispensably  required,  should  be  avoided." 

i       On  the  seventh  of  August  the  governor  informed  the 
secretary  that  he  should  call,  in  a  peremptory  manner, 


LIFE    OP    TECFMSEH. 


147 


on  all  the  tribes,  to  deliver  up  such  of  their  people  as  had 
been  concerned  in  the  murder  of  our  citizens ;  that  from 
the  Miamis  he  should  require  an  absolute  disavowal  of 
nil  connection  with  the  Prophet;  and  that  to  all  the 
tribes  he  would  repeat  the  declaration,  that  the  United 
Slates  have  manifested  through  a  series  of  years,  the 
utmost  justice  and  generosity  towards  their  Indian 
neighbors ;  and  have  not  only  fulfilled  all  the  engage- 
ments which,  they  entered  into  with  them,  but  have 
spent  considerable  sums  to  civilize  them  and  promote 
their  happiness ;  but  if,  under  those  circumstances,  any 
tribe  should  dare  to  take  up  the  tomahawk  against 
their  fathers,  they  must  not  expect  the  same  lenity  that 
had  been  shown  them  at  the  close  of  the  former  war, 
hut  that  they  would  either  be  exterminated  or  driven 
beyond  the  Mississippi. 

In  furtherance  of  this  plan,  the  governor  forwarded 
speeches  to  the  different  tribes,  and  instructed  the  Indi- 
an agents  to  use  all  possible  means  to  recall  them  to  a 
sense  of  duty.  He  also  wrote  to  the  governors  of  Illi- 
nois and  Missouri,  on  the  subject  of  the  border  difficul- 
ties, in  the  hope  that  a  general  and  simultaneous  effort 
might  avert  an  appeal  to  arms. 

In  the  month  of  September,  the  Prophet  sent  assu-  / 
ranees  to  governor  Harrison  of  his  pacific  intentions, 
and  that  his  demands  should  be  complied  with;  but 
about  the  same  time  some  horses  were  stolen  in  the 
neighborhood  of  his  town,  and  the  whites  who  went  in 
pursuit  of  them  were  fired  upon  by  the  Indians.  Early 
in  October  the  governor  moved,  with  a  considerable 
body  of  troops,  towards  the  Prophet's  town,  with  the 
expectation  that  a  show  of  hostile  measures  would 
bring  about  an  accommodation  with  the  Indians  of  that 
place.  On  the  10th  of  October,  one  of  the  sentinels  "* 
around  his  camp  was  fired  on  by  the  Indians,  and  se- 
verely wounded.  About  the  same  time  the  Prophet 
sent  a  messenger  to  the  chiefs  of  the  Delaware  tribe, 
who  were  friendly  to  the  United  States,  requiring  them 
to  say  whether  they  would  or  would  not  join  him  in 

thf^  Airnr  no-nincf  fhpm  •    fVint  h(^   haH   tjilrpn  im  thp  tnmn- 

hawk  and  would  not  lay  it  down  but  with  his  life,  un- 
less their  wrongs  were  redressed.    The  Delaware  chiefs 


■f  F^ 


i.i::.'i 


148 


LIFE   OP   TRCXJMSEH. 


immediately  visited  the  Prophet,  for  the  purpose  of 
dissuading  him  from  commencing  hostihties.    Under 
these  circumstances  there  seemed  to  be  no  alternative 
for  governor  Harrison,  but  to  break  up  the  Prophet's 
^  establishment.     On  the  27th,  the  Delaware  chiefs  re- 
turned to  the  camp  of  the  governor,  and  reported  that 
the  Prophet  would  not  listen  to  their  council,  and  had 
grossly  insulted  them.     While  at  the  Prophet's  town, 
the  Indians  who  had  wounded  the  sentinel,  returned. 
They  were  Shawanoes  and  near  friends  of  the  Prophet, 
who  was  daily  practising  certain  pretended  rites,  by 
means  of  which  he  played  upon  the  superstitious  feel- 
ings of  his  followers,  and  kept  them  in  a  state  of  fever- 
tish  excitement.     On  the  29th,  a  body  of  twenty-four 
Miami  chiefs  were  sent  by  governor  Harrison,  to  make 
another  effort  with  the  Prophet.    They  were  instructed 
to  require  that  the  Winnebagoes,  Potawatamies  and 
Kickapoos,  should  leave  him  and  return  to  their  respec- 
tive tribes;  that  all  the  stolen  horses  in  their  posses- 
sion should  be  delivered  up ;  that  the  murderers  of  the 
whites  should  either  be   surrendered  or  satisfactory 
proof  offered  that  they  were  not  under  his  control. 
These  chiefs,  however,  did  not  return,  and  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  they  were  induced  to  join  the 
confederacy  at  Tippecanoe. 
^     On  the  5th  of  November,  1811,  governor  Harrison, 
with  about  nine  hundred  effective  troops,  composed  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  4th  regiment  U.  S.  infant- 
ry, one  hundred  and  thirty  volunteers,  and  a  body  of  mi- 
litia, encamped  within  ten  miles  of  the  Prophet's  town. 
On  the  next  day,  when  the  army  was  within  five  miles 
of  the  village,  reconnoitering  parties  of  the  Indians  were 
seen,  but  they  refused  to  hold  any  conversation  with 
the  hiterpreters  sent  forward  by  the  governor  to  open  a 
communication  with  them.     When  within  a  mile  and 
a  half  of  the  town  a  halt  was  made,  for  the  purpose  of 
encamping  for  the  night.     Several  of  the  field  officers 
urged  the  governor  to  make  an  immediate  assault  on 
the  village ;  but  this  he  declined,  as  his  instructions  from 
the  I'resiaeni  were  posiuvt;,  hul  lu  a.i.ia.x.t).  mv.  iaart-aiv.^, 
as  long  as  there  was  a  probability  of  their  complying 
with  the  demands  of  government.    Upon  ascertaining, 


LIFE    oIp   TECUMSEH. 


149 


lioria 


however,  that  the  ground  continued  favorable  for  the 
disposition  of  his  troops,  quite  up  tc  the  town,  he  de- 
termined to  approach  still  nearer  to  it.     In  the  mean 
time,  captain  Dubois,  with  an  interpreter,  was  sent  for- 
ward to  ascertain  whether  the  Prophet  would  comply 
with  the  terms  proposed  by  the  governor.     The  Indi- 
ans, however,  would  make  no  reply  to  these  enquiries, 
but  endeavored  to   cut  off  the  messengers  from  the  • 
army.    When  this  fact  was  reported  to  the  governor, 
he  determined  to  consider  the  Indians  as  enemies,  and 
at  once  march  upon  their  town.     He  had  proceeded 
but  a  short  distance,  however,  before  he  was  met  by 
three  Indians,  one  of  them  a  principal  counsellor  to  the 
Prophet,  who  stated  that  they  were  sent  to  know  why 
the  army  was  marching  upon  their  town — that  the 
Prophet  was  desirous  of  avoiding  hostilities — that  he 
had  sent  a  pacific  message  to  governor  Harrison  by  the 
Miami  and  Potawatamie  chiefs,  but  that  those  chiefs 
tiad  unfortunately  gone  down  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Wabash,  and  had  thus  failed  to  meet  him.     According- 
ly, a  suspension  of  hostilities  was  agreed  upon,  and  the 
terms  of  peace  were  to  be  settled  on  the  following 
morning  by  the  governor  and  the  chiefs.     In  moving 
the  army  towards  the  Wabash,  to  encamp  for  the  night, 
the  Indians  became  again  alarmed,  supposing  that  an 
attack  was  about  to  be  made  on  the  town,  notwith- 
standing the  armistice  which  had  just  been  concluded. 
They  accordingly  began  to  prepare  for  defence,  and 
some  of  them  sallied  out,  caUing  upon  the  advanced 
corps,  to  halt.     The  governor  immediately  rode  for- 
ward, and  assured  the  Indians  that  it  was  not  his  in- 
tention to  attack  them,  but  that  he  was  only  in  search 
of  a  suitable  piece  of  ground  on  which  to  encamp  his 
troops.      He  enquired  if  there  was  any  other  water 
convenient  besides  that  which  the  river  afibrded ;  and 
an  Indian,  with  whom  he  was  well  acquainted,  an- 
swered, that  the  creek  which  had  been  crossed  two 
miles  back,  ran  through  the  prairie  to  the  north  of  the 
village.     A  halt  was  then  ordered,  and  majors  Piatt, 
Clark  and  Taylor,  were  sent  to  examine  this  creek,  as 
well  as  the  river  above  the  town,  to  ascertain  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  information,  and  decide  on  the  best 

N  2 


i>      .     0, 


i 


ft  ■  *»,- 


150 


LIFJE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


;^w 


ground  for  an  encampment.  In  the  course  of  half  an 
hour,  the  two  latter  reported  that  they  had  found  on 
the  creek,  every  thing  that  could  be  desirable  in  an  en- 
campment— an  elevated  spot,  nearly  surrounded  by  an 
open  prairie,  with  water  convenient,  and  a  sufficiency 
of  wood  for  fuel."*  The  army  was  now  marched  to 
this  spot,  and  encamped' "  on  a  dry  piece  of  ground, 
which  rose  about  ten  feet  above  the  level  of  a  marshy 
prairie  in  front  towards  the  town  j  and,  about  twice  as 
high  above  a  similar  prairie  in  the  rear  •,  through  which, 
near  the  foot  of  the  hill,  ran  a  small  stream  clothed 
with  willows  and  brush-wood.  On  the  left  of  the  en- 
campment, this  bench  of  land  became  wider;  on  tl  j 
right,  it  gradually  narrowed,  and  terminated  in  an  ab- 
rupt point,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the 
right  bank.^t 

The  encampment  was  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
from  the  Prophet's  town;  and  orders  were  given,  in 
the  event  of  a  night  attack,  for  each  corps  to  maintain 
its  position,  at  all  hazards,  until  relieved  or  further 
orders  were  given  to  it.  The  whole  army  was  kept 
during  the  night,  in  the  military  position  which  is  cal- 
led, lying  on  their  arms.  The  regular  troops  lay  in 
their  tents,  with  their  accoutrements  on,  and  their  arms 
by  their  sides.  The  militia  had  no  tents,  but  slept  with 
their  clothes  and  pouches  on,  and  their  guns  under 
them,  to  keep  them  dry.  The  order  of  the  encamp- 
ment was  the  order  of  battle,  for  a  night  attack;  and  as 
every  man  slept  opposite  to  his  post  in  the  line,  there 
was  nothing  for  the  troops  to  do,  in  case  of  an  assault, 
but  to  rise  and  take  their  position  a  few  steps  in  the 
rear  of  the  fires  around  which  they  had  reposed.  The 
guard  of  the  night  consisted  of  two  captain's  commands 
of  forty-two  men,  and  four  non-commissioned  officers 
each ;  and  two  subaltern's  guards  of  twenty  men  and 
non-commissioned  officers  each — the  whole  amounting 
to  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  men,  under  the  com- 
mand of  a  field  officer  of  the  day.  The  night  was  dark 
and  cloudy,  and  after  midnight  there  was  a  drizzling 
rain.    It  was  not  anticipated  by  the  governor  or  his  of- 


»  M'Afee's  History  of  the  Late  War. 


t  Ibid. 


LIFE    OP   TJSCUMSEH. 


151 


ficers,that  an  attack  would  be  made  during  the  night :  it 
was  supposed  tliat  if  the  Indians  had  intended  to  act  of- 
fensively, it  would  have  been  done  on  the  march  of  the 
army,  where  situations  presented  themselves  that  would 
have  given  the  Indians  a  great  advantage.  Indeed, 
within  three  miles  of  the  town,  the  army  had  passed 
over  ground  so  broken  and  unfavorable  to  its  march, 
that  the  position  of  the  troops  was  necessarily  changed, 
several  times,  in  the  course  of  a  mile.  The  enemy, 
moreover,  had  fortified  their  town  with  care  and  great 
labor,  as  if  they  intended  to  act  alone  on  the  defensive. 
It  was  a  favorite  spot  with  the  Indians,  having  long 
been  the  scene  of  those  mysterious  rites,  performed  by 
their  Prophet,  and  by  which  they  had  been  taught  to 
believe  that  it  was  impregnable  to  the  assaults  of  the 
white  man. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  of^e_ZtiL,  governor 
Harrison,  according  to  his  practice,  had  risen,  prepara- 
tory to  the  calling  up  the  troops;  and  was  engaged, 
while  drawing  on  his  boots  by  the  fire,  in  conversation 
with  general  Wells,  colonel  Owen,  and  majors  Taylor 
and  Hurst.     The  orderly-dr  .-*  nad  been  roused  for  the  s/ 
purpose  of  giving  the  signal  for  the  troops  to  turn  out, 
when  the  attack  of  the  Indians  suddenly  commenced 
upon  the  left  flank  of  the  camp.     The  whole  army 
Avas  instantly  on  its  feet ;  the  camp-fires  were  extin- 
guished ;  the  governor  mounted  his  horse  and  proceed- 
ed to  the  point  of  attack.     Several  of  the  companies 
had  taken  their  places  in  the  line  within  forty  seconds 
from  the  report  of  the  first  gun  ;  and  the  whole  of  the 
troops  were  prepared  for  action  in  the  course  of  two 
minutes ;  a  fact  as  creditable  to  their  own  activity  and 
bravery,  as  to  the  skill  and  energy  of  their  officers.     The 
battle   soon  became  general,  and  was  maintained  on 
both  sides  with  signal  and  even  desperate  valor.     The 
Indians  advanced  and  retreated  by  the  aid  of  a  rattling 
noise,  made  with  deer  hoofs,  and  persevered  in  their 
treacherous  attack  with  an  apparent  determination  to 
conquer  or  die  upon  the  spot.    The  battle  raged  with  u..-  • 
abated  fury  and  mutual  slaughter,  until  daylight,  when  a 
gallant  and  successful  charge  by  our  troops,  drove  the 
enemy  into  the  swamp,  and  put  an  end  to  the  conflict. 


*i> 


ni 


r 


152 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


Prior  to  the  assault,  the  Prophet  had  given  assuran- 
ces to  his  followers,  that  in  the  coming  contest,  the 
Great  Spirit  would  render  the  arms  of  the  Americans 
unavailing;  that  their  bullets  would  fall  harmless  at 
the  feet  of  the  Indians ;  that  the  latter  should  have  Ught 
in  abundance,  while  the  former  would  be  involved  in 
thick  darkness.  Availing  himself  of  the  privilege  con- 
ferred by  his  peculiar  office,  and,  perhaps,  unwilling  in 
liis  own  person  to  attest  at  once  the  rival  powers  of  a 
sham  prophecy  and  a  real  American  bullet,  he  pru- 
dently took  a  position  on  an  adjacent  eminence ;  and, 
when  the  action  began,  he  entered  upon  the  perform- 
ance of  certain  mystic  rites,  at  the  same  time  singing  a 
war-song.  In  the  course  of  the  engagement,  he  was 
informed  that  his  men  were  falling:  he  told  them  to 
fight  on, — it  would  soon  be  as  he  had  predicted ;  and 
■  then,  in  louder  and  wilder  strains,  his  inspiring  battle- 
song  was  heard  commingling  with  the  sharp  crack  of 
the  rifle  and  the  shrill  war-whoop  of  his  brave  but  de- 
luded followers. 

Throughout  the  action,  the  Indians  manifested  more 
boldness  and  perseverance  than  had,  perhaps,  ever 
been  exhibited  by  them  on  any  former  occasion.  This 
was  owing,  it  is  supposd,  to  the  influence  of  the  Pro- 
phet, who  by  the  aid  of  his  incantations  had  inspired 
them  with  a  belief  that  they  would  certainly  overcome 
their  enemy :  the  supposition,  likewise,  that  they  had 
taken  the  governor's  army  by  surprise,  doubtless  con- 
tributed to  the  desperate  character  of  their  assaults. 
Thev  were  commanded  by  some  daring  chiefs,  and  al- 
though their  spiritual  leader  was  not  actually  in  the 
battle,  he  did  much  to  encourage  his  followers  in  their 
gallant  attack.  Of  the  force  of  the  Indians  engaged, 
there  is  no  certain  account.  The  ordinary  number  at 
the  Prophet's  town  during  the  preceding  summer,  was 
four  hundred  and  fifty;  but  a  few  days  before  the 
action,  they  had  been  joined  by  all  the  Kickapoos  of 
the  prairie,  and  by  several  bands  of  the  Potawatamies, 
from  the  Illinois  river,  and  the  St.  Joseph's  of  lake 
Michigan.  Their  number  on  the  night  of  the  engage- 
ment was  probably  between  eight  hundred  and  one 
thousand.     Some  of  the  Indians  who  were  in  the  ac- 


LIFE    OP   TECUM8EH. 


153 


tioii,  subsequently  informed  the  agent  at  fort  Wayne, 
tliat  there  were  more  than  a  thousand  warriors  in  the 
battle,  and  that  the  number  of  wounded  was  unusu- 
ally great.  In  the  precipitation  of  their  retreat,  they 
left  thirty-eight  on  the  field ;  some  were  buried  during 
the  engagement  in  their  town,  others  no  doubt  died 
subsequently  of  their  wounds.  The  whole  number  of 
their  killed,  was  probably  not  less  than  fifty. 

Of  the  army  under  governor  Harrison,  thirty-five 
were  killed  in  the  action,  and  twenty -five  died  subse- 
quently of  their  wounds :  the  total  number  of  killed  and 
wounded  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight.  Among 
the  former  were  the  lamented  colonel  Abraham  Owen 
and  major  Joseph  Hamilton  Davies,  of  Kentucky. 

Both  officers  and  men  behaved  with  much  coolness 
and  bravery, — qualities  which,  in  an  eminent  degree, 
marked  the  conduct  of  governor  Harrison  throughout 
the  engagement.  The  peril  to  which  he  was  subjected 
may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  a  ball  passed  through 
his  stock,  slightly  bruising  his  neck ;  another  struck  his 
saddle,  and  glancing  hit  his  thigh  ;  and  a  third  wound- 
ed the  horse  on  which  he  was  riding. 

Peace  on  the  frontiers  was  one  of  the  happy  results  ^ 
of  this  severe  and  brilliant  action.     The  tribes  which 
had  already  joined  in  the  confederacy  were  dismayed ; 
and  those  which  had  remained  neutral  now  decided 
against  it. 


I 


.? 


:  -.'  I 


CHAPTER  X. 


Tecumseh  returns  from  the  south — proposes  to  visit  the  President,  but  de- 
clines, because  not  permitted  to  go  to  Washington  at  the  head  of  a  par- 
ty— attends  a  council  at  fort  Wayne — proceeds  to  Maiden  and  joins  the 
British— governor  Harrison's  letter  to  the  War  Department  relative  to 
the  north-west  tribes. 

During  the  two  succeeding  days,  the  victorious  ar- 
my remained  in  camp,  for  the  purpose  of  burying  the 
dead  and  taking  care  of  the  wounded.  In  the  mean 
time,  colonel  Wells,  with  the  mounted  riflemen,  visited 
the  Prophet's  town,  and  found  it  deserted  by  all  the 


r 


'!*.*• 


154 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


Indians  except  one,  whose  leg  had  been  broken  in  the 
action.  The  houses  were  mostly  burnt,  and  the  corn 
around  the  village  destroyed.  On  the  ninth  the  army 
commenced  its  return  to  Vincennes,  having  broken  up 
or  committed  to  the  flames  all  their  unnecessary  bag- 
gage, in  order  that  the  wagons  might  be  used  for  the 
transportation  of  the  wounded. 

The  defeated  Indians  were  greatly  exasperated  with 
the  Prophet :  they  reproached  him  in  bitter  terms  for 
the  calamity  he  had  brought  upon  them,  and  accused 
him  of  the  murder  of  their  friends  who  had  fallen  in  the 
action.  It  seems,  that  after  pronouncing  some  incanta- 
tions over  a  certain  composition,  which  he  had  prepa- 
red on  the  night  preceding  the  action,  he  assured  his 
followers,  that  by  the  power  of  his  art,  half  of  the  inva- 
ding army  was  already  dead,  and  the  other  half  in  a 
state  of  distraction  ;  and  that  the  Indians  would  have 
little  *o  do  but  rush  into  their  camp,  and  complete  the 
work  of  destruction  with  their  tomahawks.  "  You  are 
a  liar,"  said  one  of  the  surviving  Winnebagoes  to  him, 
after  the  action,  "  for  you  told  us  that  the  white  people 
were  dead  or  crazy,  when  they  were  all  in  their  senses 
and  fought  like  the  devil."  The  Prophet  appeared  de- 
jected, and  sought  to  excuse  himself  on  the  plea  that 
the  virtue  of  his  composition  had  been  lost  by  a  cir- 
cumstance of  which  he  had  no  knowledge  until  after 
,  the  battle  was  over.  His  sacred  character,  however, 
was  so  far  forfeited,  that  the  Indians  actually  bound  him 
with  cords,  and  threatened  to  put  him  to  death.  After 
leaving  the  Prophet's  town,  they  marched  about  twen- 
ty miles  and  encamped  on  the  bank  of  Wild  Cat  creek. 

In  a  letter  to  the  war  department,  dated  fourth  of 
December,  governor  Harrison  writes : 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  two  principal 
chiefs  of  the  Kickapoos  of  the  prairie,  arrived  here, 
bearing  a  flag,  on  the  evening  before  last.  The  ac- 
count which  they  give  of  the  late  confederacy  under  the 
Prophet,  is  as  follows  :  The  Prophet,  with  his  Shawa- 
noes,  is  at  a  small  Huron  village,  about  twelve  miles 
frcm  his  former  residence,  on  this  side  of  the  Wabash, 
where  also  were  twelve  or  fifteen  Hurons.  The  Kick- 
apoos are  encamped  near  the  Tippecanoe,  the  Pota- 


1 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


155 


watamies  have  scattered  and  gone  to  different  villages 
of  that  tribe.  The  Winnebagoes  had  all  set  out  on 
their  return  to  their  own  country,  excepting  one  chief 
and  nine  men,  Avho  remained  at  their  former  villages. 
The  Prophet  had  sent  a  messenger  to  the  Kickapoos  of 
the  prairie  to  request  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  re- 
tire to  their  town.  This  was  positively  refused,  and  a 
warning  sent  to  him  not  to  come  there.  These  chiefs 
say  that  the  whole  of  the  tribes  who  lost  warriors  in 
the  late  action,  attribute  their  misfortune  to  the  Pro- 
phet alone;  that  they  constantly  reproach  him  with  their 
misfortunes,  and  threaten  him  with  death;  that  they 
are  all  desirous  of  making  their  peace  with  the  United 
States,  and  will  send  deputations  to  me  for  that  pur- 
pose, as  soon  as  they  are  informed  that  they  will  be 
well  received.  They  further  say,  that  the  Prophet's 
followers  were  fully  impressed  with  a  belief  that  they 
could  defeat  us  with  ease ;  that  it  was  their  intention 
to  have  attacked  us  at  fort  Harrison,  if  we  had  gone  no 
higher;  that  Racoon  creek  was  then  fixed  on,  and 
finally  Pine  creek,  and  that  the  latter  would  probably 
have  been  the  place,  if  the  usual  route  had  not  been 
abandoned,  and  a  crossing  made  higher  up ;  that  the 
attack  made  on  our  sentinels  at  fort  Harrison  was  in- 
tended to  shut  the  door  against  accommodation;  that 
the  Winnebagoes  had  forty  warriors  killed  in  the  ac- 
tion, and  the  Kickapoos  eleven,  and  ten  wounded. 
They  have  never  heard  how  many  of  the  Potawata- 
mies  and  other  tribes  were  killed." 

With  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  the  Prophet  lost  his 
popularity  and  power  among  the  Indians.  His  magic 
wand  was  broken,  and  the  mysterious  charm  by  means 
of  which  he  had  for  years,  played  upon  the  supersti- 
tious minds  of  this  wild  people,  scattered  through  a 
vast  extent  of  country,  was  dissipated  forever.  It  was 
not  alone  to  the  character  of  his  prophetic  office  that  he 
was  indebted  for  his  influence  over  his  followers.  The 
position  which  he  maintained  in  regard  to  the  Indian 
lands,  and  the  encroachments  of  the  white  people  upon 
their  hunting  grounds,  increased  his  popularity,  which 
was  likewise  greatly  strengthened  by  the  respect  and 
deference  with  which  the  politic  Tecnmseh — the  mas- 


156 


LIFE    OF   TJ5CUMSKH. 


W  1      31 


ter  spirit  of  his  day — uniformly  treated  him.  He  had, 
moreover,  nimble  wit,  quickness  of  appreliension,  much 
cunning  and  a  captivating  eloquence  of  speech.  These 
qualities  fitted  him  for  pUying  his  part  with  great  sue 
cess;  and  sustaining  for  a  series  of  years,  the  character 
of  one  inspired  by  the  Great  Spirit.  He  was,  however, 
rash,  presumptuous  and  deficient  iu  judgment.  And 
no  sooner  was  he  left  without  the  sagacious  counsel  and 
positive  control  of  Tecumseh,  than  he  foolishly  annihi- 
lated his  own  power,  and  suddenly  crushed  the  grand 
confederacy  upon  which  he  and  his  brother  had  ex- 
pended years  of  labor,  and  in  the  organization  of  which 
they  had  incurred  much  personal  peril  and  endured 
great  privation. 

Tecumseh  returned  from  the  south  through  Missouri, 
visited  the  tribes  on  the  Des  Moius,  and  crossing  the 
head  waters  of  the  Illinois,  reached  the  Wabash  a  few 
days  after  the  disastrous  battle  of  Tippecanoe.     It  is 
believed  that  he  made  a  strong  impression  upon  all  the 
tribes  visited  by  him  in  his  extended  mission ;  and  that 
he  had  laid  the  foundation  of  numerous  accessions  to 
his  confederacy.     He  reached  the  banks  of  the  Tippe- 
canoe, just  in  time  to  witness  the  dispersion  of  his  fol- 
lowers, the  disgrace  of  his  brother,  and  the  final  over- 
throw of  the  great  object  of  his  ambition,  a  union  of 
all  the  Indian  tribes  against  the  United  States  :  and  all 
this,  the  result  of  a  disregard  to  his  positive  commands. 
His  mortification  was  extreme;  and  it  is  related  on 
good  authority,  that  when  he  first  met  the  Prophet,  he 
reproached  him  in  bitter  terms  for  having  departed 
from  his  instructions  to  preserve  peace  with  the  United 
States  at  all  hazards.     The  attempt  of  the  Prophet  to 
palliate  his  own  conduct,  excited  the  haughty  chieftain 
still  more,  and  seizing  him  by  the  hair  and  shaking 
him  violently,  he  threatened  to  take  his  fife. 

During  the  ensuing  winter,  there  was  peace  on  the 
frontiers.  In  the  month  of  January,  1812,  Little  Tur- 
tl3,  the  celebrated  Miami  chief,  wrote  to  governor  Har- 
rison, that  all  the  Prophet's  followers  had  left  him, 
except  two  camps  of  his  own  tribe,  and  that  Tecumseh 
had  just  joined  him  with  only  eight  men;  from  \iyCiiGii 
he  concluded  there  was  no  present  danger  to  be  appre- 


or 


^IFB    OF    TECUMSEH. 


1.57 


bended  from  them.  Shortly  afterwards,  Tecumseh 
sent  a  message  to  governor  Harrison  informing  him  of 
his  return  from  the  south ;  and  that  he  was  now  ready- 
to  make  the  promised  visit  to  the  President.  The  go- 
vernor replied,  giving  his  permission  for  Tecumseh  to 
go  to  Washington,  but  not  as  the  leader  of  any  party 
of  Indians.  The  chieftain,  who  had  been  accustomed 
.to  make  his  visits  to  Vincennes,  attended  by  three  or 
four  hundred  warriors,  all  completely  armed,  did  not 
choose  to  present  himself  to  his  great  father,  the  Presi- 
dent, shorn  of  his  power  and  without  his  retinue.  The 
visit  was  declined,  and  here  terminated  the  intercourse 
between  him  and  governor  Harrison. 

Early  in  March,  the  peace  of  the  frontiers  was  again 
disturbed  by  Indian  depredations;  and  in  the  course  of 
this  and  the  following  month,  several  families  were 
murdered  on  the  Wabash  and  Ohio  rivers.  On  the 
15th  of  May,  there  was  a  grand  council  held  at  Missis- 
.siniway,  which  was  attended  by  twelve  tribes  of  Indi- 
ans. They  all  professed  to  be  in  favor  of  peace,  and 
condemned  the  disturbances  which  had  occurred  be- 
tween the  Indians  and  the  settlers,  since  the  battle  of 
Tippecanoe.  Tecumseh  was  present  at  this  council 
and  spoke  several  times.  He  defied  any  living  crea- 
ture to  say  that  he  had  ever  advised  any  one,  directly 
or  indirectly,  to  make  war  upon  the  whites:  it  had. 
constantly  been  his  misfortune,  he  said,  to  have  his 
views  misrepresented  to  his  white  brethren,  and  this 
had  been  done  by  pretended  chiefs  of  the  Potawata- 
mies,  who  had  been  in  the  habit  of  selling  land  to  the 
white  people,  which  did  not  belong  to  them.  «  Gover- 
nor Harrison,'^  he  continued,  "  made  war  on  my  peo- 
ple in  my  absence  :  it  was  the  will  of  God  that  he 
should  do  so.  We  hope  it  will  please  God  that  the 
white  people  will  let  us  live  in  peace.  We  will  not 
disturb  them,  neither  have  we  done  it,  except  when 
they  came  to  our  village  with  the  intention  of  destroy- 
ing us.  We  are  happy  to  state  to  our  brothers  present, 
that  the  unfortunate  transaction  that  took  place  be- 
tween the  white  people  and  a  few  of  our  young  men 

at    OPI"    villi*  O"**       Viae      VjOOp       O£lff1orl      V»nf  «r,-./-,v>     no     rj  v-x^      n^-m.r^f 

nor  Harrison ;  and  I  will  further  state,  that  had  I  been 

0 


m 


mmi 


r 


IM 


LIFE    OF   TECUM8BH. 


II' 


at  home,  there  would  have  been  no  bloodshed  at  that 

time  " 

\  In  the  month  of  June,  following  this  council,  Te- 
cumseh  made  a  visit  to  fort  Wayne,  and  sought  an 
interview  with  the  Indian  agent  at  that  place.  Mis- 
fortune had  not  subdued  his  haughty  spirit  nor  silenced 
the  fearless  expression  of  his  feelings  and  opmions. 
He  still  maintained  the  justice  of  his  position  m  regard* 
to  the  ownership  of  the  Indian  lands,  disavowed  any 
intention  of  making  war  upon  the  United  States, 
and  reproached  governor  Harrison  for  having  marched 
against  his  people  during  his  absence.  The  agent  made 
a  long  speech  to  him,  presenting  reasons  why  he  should 
now  become  the  friend  and  ally  of  the  United  States. 

^  To  this  harangue,  Tecumseh  listened  with  frigid  mdif- 
ferencc,made  a  few  general  remarks  in  reply,  and  then 
with  a  liaughty  air,  left  the  council-house,  and  took  his 
departure  for  Maiden,  where  he  joined  the  British  stand- 
in  taking  leave  of  that  part  of  our  subject  which 
rehtes  to  the  confederacy  of  Tecumseh  and  the  Pro- 
phet, and  the  principle  on  which  it  was  established,  we 
quote,  as  relevant  to  the  case,  and  as  an  interestmg 
piece  of  general  history,  the  following  letter  from  go- 
vernor Harrison  to  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

"  Cincinnati,  March  22,  1814. 

«Sir, The   tribes  of  Indians  on  this  frontier  and 

east  of 'the  Mississippi,  with  whom  the  United  States 
have  been  connected  by  treaty,  are  the  Wyandots,  Del- 
awares,  Shawanoes,  Miamis,  Potawatamies,  Ottawas, 
Chippewas,  Piankashaws,  Kaskaskias  and  Sacs.  All 
but  the  two  last  were  in  the  confederacy  which  carried 
on  the  former  Indian  war  against  the  United  States, 
that  was  terminated  by  the  treaty  of  Greenville.  The 
Kaskaskias  were  parties  to  the  treaty,  but  they  had  not 
been  in  the  war.  The  Wyandots  are  admitted  by  the 
others  to  be  the  leading  tribe.  They  hold  the  grand 
calumet  which  luiites  them  and  kindles  the  council 
fire.     This  tribe  is  nearly  equally  divided  between  the 

y-i  -i    c J. — u,»    ,»rUr»    \a.    tVio    ornnrl    snnhpTYi  nf  the 

ijranCf  HI  octiiuusay,  wiiu  x^  trx-,  g,.. -  — -^ -- 

nation,  and  Walk-in-the- Water,  at  Brownstown,  near 


LIPE    OP    TECITMSEH. 


159 


It  that 

il,  Te- 

^ht  an 

Mis- 

ilenced 
inions. 
regard • 
id  any 
States, 
arched 
t  made 
should 
States. 
I  indif- 
id  then 
ook  his 
I  stand- 

which 
le  Pro- 
led,  we 
^resting 
om  go- 

1814. 

ier  and 
L  States 
>ts,  Del- 
Ittawas, 
:s.  All 
carried 
States, 
&.  The 
had  not 
.  by  the 
e  grand 
council 
een  the 
n  of  the 
vn,  near 


Detroit.  They  claim  the  lands  bounded  by  the  settle- 
ments of  this  state,  southwardly  and  eastwardly ;  and 
by  lake  Erie,  the  Miami  river,  and  the  claim  of  the 
Shawanoos  upon  the  Auglaize,  a  branch  of  the  latter. 
They  also  claim  the  lands  they  live  on  near  Detroit, 
but  I  am  ignorant  to  what  extent. 

"The  Wyandots  of  Sandusky  have  adhered  to  us 
through  the  war.  Their  chief,  the  Crane,  is  a  venera- 
ble, intelligent  and  upright  man.  Within  the  tract  of 
land  claimed  by  the  Wyandots,  a  number  of  Sonecas 
are  settled.  They  broke  otf  from  their  own  tribe  six 
or  eight  years  ago,  but  received  a  part  of  the  aimuity 
granted  that  tribe  by  the  United  States,  by  sending  a 
deputation  for  it  to  Buffalo.  The  claim  of  the  Wyan- 
dots to  the  lands  they  occupy,  is  not  disputed,  that  I 
know  of,  by  any  other  tribe.  Their  residence  on  it, 
however,  is  not  of  long  standing,  and  the  country  was 
certainly  once  the  property  of  the  Miamis. 

"  Passing  westwardly  from  the  Wyandots,  we  meet 
with  the  Shawanoe  settlement  at  Stony  creek,  a  branch 
of  the  Great  Miami,  and  at  Wapauckanata,  on  the  Au- 
glaize. These  settlements  wore  made  immediately  af- 
ter the  treaty  of  Greenville,  and  with  the  consent  of  the 
Miamis,  whom  I  consider  the  real  owners  of  these 
lands.  The  chiefs  of  this  band  of  Shawanoes,  Black- 
hoof,  Wolf  and  Lewis,  are  attached  to  us  from  prin- 
ciple as  well  as  interest — they  are  all  honest  men. 

"The  Miamis  have  their  principal  settlement  at  the 
forks  of  the  Wabash,  thirty  miles  from  fort  Wayne ; 
and  at  Mississinaway,  thirty  miles  lower  down.  A 
band  of  them  under  the  name  of  Weas,  have  resided 
on  the  Wabash,  sixty  miles  above  Vincennes;  and 
another  under  the  Turtle  on  Eel  river,  a  branch  of  the 
Wabash,  twenty  miles  north-west  of  fort  Wayne.  By 
an  artifice  of  Little  Turtle,  these  three  bands  were 
passed  on  general  Wayne  as  distinct  tribes,  and  an  an- 
nuity granted  to  each.  The  Eel  river  and  Weas,  how- 
ever, to  this  day  call  themselves  Miamis,  and  are  re- 
cognized as  such  by  the  Mississinaway  band.  The 
Miamis,  Maumees  or  Tewicktowes,  are  the  undoubted 

rM<rvv\'>.;<-.f/-»v.ci   f>+^  nil    fVirif   Koontirnl    r»rknritT^'  ''^''hifll    is   W*l*'f''- 

l/J.  VlJiiClWiO     Ol     till     lIlLlt     UT^LH-tHil-lt.     '-■'-ri.tlit  I  jf        r.    !!Il-l»     »i5      r»»_..^. 

ed  by  the  Wabash  and  its  branches ;  and  there  is  as 


.1 


m 


r 


160 


LIFE    OP-  TECUMSEH. 


Mtii 


I  i 


IV' 

Iw' 

little  doubt  that  their  claim  extended  at  least  as  far  east 
as  the  Scioto.  They  have  no  tradition  of  rennoving 
from  any  other  quarter  of  the  country ;  whereas  all  the 
neighboring  tribes,  the  Piankishaws  excepted,  who  are 
a  branch  of  the  Miamis,  are  either  intruders  upon  them, 
1  or  have  been  permitted  to  settle  in  their  country.  The 
Wyandots  emigrated  first  from  lake  Ontario,  and  sub- 
sequently from  lake  Huron — the  Delawares  from  Penn- 
sylvania and  Maryland — the  Shawanoes  from  Georgia 
— the  Kickapoos  and  Potawatamies  from  the  country 
between  lake  Michigan  and  the  Mississippi — and  the 
Ottawas  and  Chippewas  from  the  peninsula  formed 
by  lakes  Michigan,  Huron  and  St.  Clair,  and  the  strait 
connecting  the  latter  with  Erie.  The  claims  of  the 
Miamis  were  bounded  on  the  north  and  west  by  those 
of  the  Illinois  confederacy,  consisting  originally  of  five 
tribes,  called  Kaskaskias,  Cahokias,  Peorians,  Michi- 
ganians,  and  Temorais,  speaking  the  Miami  language, 
and  no  doubt  branches  of  that  nation. 

"When  I  was  first  appointed  governor  of  Indiana 
territory,  these  once  powerful  tribes  were  reduced  to 
about  thirty  warriors,  of  whom  twenty -five  were  Kas- 
kaskias, four  Peorians,  and  a  single  Michiganian.  There 
was  an  individual  lately  alive  at  St.  Louis,  who  saw 
the  enumeration  made  of  them  by  the  Jesuits  in  the 
year  1745,  making  the  number  of  their  warriors  four 
thousand.  A  furious  war  between  them  and  the  Sacs 
and  Kickapoos,  reduced  them  to  that  miserable  rem 
nant,  which  had  taken  refuge  amongst  the  white  people 
of  the  towns  of  Kaskaskias  and  %t.  Genevieve.  The 
Kickapoos  had  fixed  their  principal  village  at  Peoria, 
upon  the  south  bank  of  the  Illinois  river,  while  the 
Sacs  remained  masters  of  the  country  to  the  north. 

"  During  the  war  of  our  Revolution,  the  Miamis  had 
invited  the  Kickapoos  in^D  their  covmtry  to  assist  them 
against  the  whites,  and  a  considerable  village  was  form- 
ed by  that  tribe  on  Vermillion  river,  near  its  junction 
with  the  Wabash.  After  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  the 
Delawares  had,  with  the  approbation  of  the  Miamis, 
removed  from  the  month  of  the  Audaize  to  the  head 
waters  of  White  river,  a  large  branch  of  the  Wabash 
—and  the    Potawatamies,  without   their  consent,  had 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


161 


formed  two  villages  upon  the  latter  river,  one  at  Tip- 
pecanoe, and  the  other  at  Chippoy,  twenty-five  miles 
below. 

"  The  Piankishaws  lived  in  the  neighborhood  of  Vin- 
cennes,  which  was  their  ancient  village,  and  claimed 
the  lands  to  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash,  and  to  the  north 
and  west  as  far  as  the  Kaskaskias  claimed.  Such  was 
the  situation  of  the  tribes,  when  I  received  instructions 
from  President  Jefferson,  shortly  after  his  first  election, 
to  make  efforts  for  extinguishing  the  Indian  claims 
upon  the  Ohio,  below  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river, 
and  to  such  other  tracts  as  were  necessary  to  connect 
and  consolidate  our  settlements.  It  was  at  once  deter- 
mined, that  the  community  of  interests  in  thp  lands 
amongst  the  Indian  tribes,  which  seemed  to  be  recog- 
nized by  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  ^-hould  be  objected 
to ;  and  that  each  individual  tribe  should  be  protected 
in  every  claim  that  should  appear  to  be  founded  in 
reason  and  justice.  But  it  was  also  determined,  that  *' 
as  a  measure  of  policy  and  liberality,  such  tribes  as 
lived  upon  any  tract  of  land  which  it  would  be  desira- 
ble to  purchase,  should  receive  a  portion  of  the  com- 
pensation, although  the  title  might  be  exclusively  in 
another  tribe.  Upon  this  principle  the  Delawares, 
Shawanoes,  Potawatamies,  and  Kickapoos,  were  ad- 
mitted as  parties  to  several  of  the  treaties.  Care  was  ^ 
taken,  however,  to  place  the  title  to  such  tracts  as  might 
be  desirable  to  purchase  hereafter,  upon  a  footing  that 
would  facilitate  the  procuring  of  them,  by  getting  the 
tribes  who  had  no  claim  themselves,  and  who  might 
probably  interfere,  to  recognize  the  titles  of  those  who 
were  ascertained  to  possess  them. 

"  This  was  particularly  the  case  with  regard  to  the 
lan'^'n  watered  by  the  Wabash,  which  were  declared  to 
be  tne  property  of  the  Miamis,  with  the  exception  of 
the  tract  occupied  by  the  Delawares  on  White  river, 
which  was  to  Idc  considered  the  joint  property  of  them 
and  the  Minmis.  This  arrangement  was  very  much 
disliked  by  Tecumseh,  and  the  banditti  that  he  had  as- 
sembled at  Tippecanoe.  He  complained  loudly,  as 
well  of  the  sales  that  had  been  made,  as  of  the  princi- 
ple of  considering  a  particular  tribe  as  the  exclusive 

o  2 


"1 


% 


162 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


1  . 


proprietors  of  any  part  of  the  country,  which  he  said 
the  Great  Spirit  had  given  to  all  his  red  children.    Be- 
sides the  disaffected  amongst  the  neighboring  tribes,  he 
had  brought  together  a  considerable  number  of  Winne- 
bagoes  and  Folsovoins,  from  the  neighborhood  of  Green 
Bay,  Sacs  from  the  Mississippi,  and  some  Ottawas  and 
Chippewas  from  Abercrosh  on  lake  Michigan.    These 
people  were  better  pleased  with  the  climate  and  coun- 
try of  the  Wabash,  than  with  that  they  had  left. 
\      «  The-^iamis  resisted  the  pretensions  oi  Tecumseh 
and  his  followers  for  some  time ;  but  a  system  of  terror 
was  adopted,  and  the  young  men  were  seduced  by 
eternally  placing  before  them  a  picture  of  labor,  and 
restriction  as  to  hunting,  to  which  the  system  adopted 
would  inevitably  lead.     The  Potawatamies  and  other 
tribes  inhabiting  the  Illinois  river  and  south  of  lake 
Michigan,  had  been  for  a  long  time  approaching  gradu- 
ally towards  the  Wabash.     Their  country,  which  was 
never  abundantly  stocked  with  game,  was  latterly  al- 
most exhausted  of  it.    The  fertile  regions  of  the  Wa- 
bash still  aflbrded  it.     It  was  represented,  that  the  pro- 
gressive  settlements   of  the  whites  upon  that   river, 
would  soon  deprive  them  of  their  only  resource,  and 
indeed  would  force  the  Indians  of  that  river  uponjhem 
who  were  already  half  starved. 

« It  is  a  fact,  that  for  many  years  the  current  of  emi- 
gration, as  to  the  tribes  east  of  the  Mississippi,  has  been 
from  north  to  south.  This  is  owing  to  two  causes;  the 
diminution  of  those  animals  from  which  the  Indians 
procure  their  support;  and  the  pressure  of  the  two 
great  tribes,  the  Chippewas  and  Sioux,  to  the  north 
and  west.  So  long  ago  as  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  the 
Potawatamies  gave  notice  to  the  Miamis,  that  they 
intended  to  settle  upon  the  Wabash.  They  made  no 
pretensions  to  the  country,  and  their  only  excuse  for 
the  intended  aggression  was,  that  they  were  "  tired  of 
eating  fish  and  wanted  meat."  It  has  already  been 
observed  that  the  Sacs  had  extended  themselves  to  the 
Illinois  river,  and  that  the  settlements  of  the  Kickapoos 
at  the  Peorias  was  of  modern  date.  Previously  to  the 
commencement  of  the  present  war,  a  considerable  num- 
h^r  had  joined  their  brethren  on  the  Wabash.     The 


LIFE    OP    lilSUMSEH. 


163 


Tawas  from  the  Des  Moins  river,  have  twice  made  at- 
tempts to  get  a  footing  there. 


* 


«  The  question  of  the  title  to  the  lands  south  of  the 
Wabash,  has  been  thoroughly  examined ;  every  oppor- 
tunity was  afforded  to  Tecumseh  and  his  party  to  ex- 
hibit their  pretensions,  and  they  were  found  to  rest 
upon  no  other  basis  than  that  of  their  being  the  com- 
mon property  of  all  the  Indians.  The  Potawatamies 
and  Kickapoos  have  unequivocally  acknowledged  the 
Miami  and  Delaware  titles." 


Is.  • :  .  ^n 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Tecumseh  participates  in  the  battle  of  Brownstown — commands  the  Indi- 
ans in  the  actior.  near  Maguaga — present  at  Hull's  surrender — general 
Brock  presents  him  his  military  sash — attack  on  Chicago  brought  about 
by  Tecumseh. 

On  the  ISth  of  June,  1812,  the  congress  of  the  United  ,, 
States  made  a  formal  declaration  of  war  against  Great  •/ 
Britain.  This  gave  a  new  aspect  to  affairs  on  the 
north-western  frontier ;  and  at  the  first  commencement 
of  hostilities  between  these  two  powers,  Tecumseh  was 
in  the  field,  prepared  for  the  conflict.  In  the  month  of 
July,  when  general  Hull  crossed  over  from  Detroit  into 
Canada,  this  chief,  with  a  party  of  thirty  Potawatamies 
and  Shawanoes,  was  at  Maiden.  About  the  same  time 
there  was  an  assemblage  at  Brownstown,  opposite  to 
Maiden,  of  those  Indians  who  were  inclined  to  neu- 
trality in  the  war.  A  deputation  was  sent  to  the  latter 
place,  inviting  Tecumseh  to  attend  this  council.  "  No," 
said  he,  indignantly,  "I  have  taken  sides  with  the 
King,  my  father,  and  I  will  suffer  my  bones  to  bleach 
upon  this  shore,  before  I  will  recross  that  stream  to  ' 
join  in  any  council  of  neutrality."  In  a  few  days  he 
gave  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of  this  declaration,  by 
personally  commanding  the  Indians  in  the  first  action 
that  ensued  after  the  declaration  of  war.* 

*  Anthony  Shane. 


I  1 


p^ 


164 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


Early  in  August,  general  Hull,  then  in  Detroit,  was 
notified  by  express  that  a  company  of  Ohio  volunteers, 
under  the  command  of  captain  Henry  Brush,  with  pro- 
visions for  the  army,  were  near  the  river  Raisin,  and 
needed  an  escort,  as  it  had  been  ascertained  that  some 
British  and  a  considerable  body  of  Indians,  under  the 
command  of  Tecumseh,  had  crossed  from  Maiden  to 
Brownstown,  with  a  view  to  intercept  this  convoy. 
General  Hull,  after  some  delay,  gave  a  reluctant  con- 
sent to  the  colonels  of  the  Ohio  militia,  that  a  detach- 
ment of  troops  might  march  to  the  relief  of  colonel 
Brush.  Major  Van  Home,  with  a  small  body  of  men, 
started  as  an  escort  to  the  mail,  with  orders  to  join  cap- 
tain Brush  at  the  river  Raisin.  He  set  ofi  on  the  fourth 
of  August,  marching  tha',  evening  as  far  as  the  river 
De  Corce.  On  the  next  day,  captain  McCullough  of 
the  spies,  was  killed  by  some  Indians.  In  the  course 
af  the  succeeding  one,  near  Brownstown,  the  detach- 
ment under  major  Van  Home  was  suddenly  attacked 
by  the  Indians,  who  were  lying  in  ambush.  Appre- 
hensive of  being  surrounded  and  entirely  cut  off",  the 
major  ordered  a  retreat,  which  was  continued  to  the 
river  De  Corce,  the  enemy  pursuing  them  to  that  point. 
0:u'  loss  was  seventeen  killed,  besides  several  wounded, 
who  were  left  behind.  Among  the  former  were  cap- 
tains Ulry,  Gilchrist,  Boersler,  lieutenant  Pents,  and 
ensign  Ruby.  The  loss  of  so  many  officers  resulted 
from  their  attempts  to  rally  the  men.  The  loss  of  the 
enemy  was  supposed  to  be  equal  to  that  sustained  by 
major  Van  Home.  There  Avere  about  forty  British 
soldiers  and  seventy  Indians  in  this  engagement,  the 
latter  being  commanded  by  Tecumseh  in  person. 

After  general  Hull  had  ingloriously  retreated  from 
Canada,  he  detached  colonel  Miller,  with  majors  Van 
Horne  nd  Morrison,  and  a  body  of  troops,  amounting 
to  six  handred,  to  make  a  second  eff'ort  to  reach  cap- 
tain Brush.  They  were  attended  by  some  artillerists 
with  one  six  pounder  and  a  howitzer.  The  detach- 
ment marched  from  Detroit  on  the  eighth,  and  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  ninth  the  front  guard,  commanded  by 
captain  Sneliing,  was  fired  upon  by  a  line  of  British 
and  Indians,  about  two  miles  below  the  village  of  Ma- 


men, 


river 


LIFE    or   TECUMSEH. 


165 


guaga.  At  the  moment  of  the  attack,  the,  main  body 
was  marching  in  two  Unes,  and  captain  Snelling  main- 
tained his  position  in  a  gallant  manner,  until  the  line 
was  formed  and  marched  to  the  ground  he  occupied, 
where  the  whole,  except  the  rear  guard,  was  brought 
into  action.  The  British  were  entrenched  behind  a 
breast-work  of  logs,  with  the  Indians  on  the  left  cover- 
ed by  a  thick  wood.  Colonel  Miller  ordered  his  whole 
line  to  advance,  and  when  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  enemy,  fired  upon  them,  and  immediately  followed 
it  up  by  a  charge  with  fixed  bayonets,  when  the  whole 
British  line  and  the  Indians  commenced  a  retreat. 
They  were  vigorously  pursued  for  near  two  miles. 
The  Indians  on  the  left  were  commanded  by  Tecuin- 
seh,  and  fought  with  great  bravery,  but  were  forced  to 
retreat.  Our  loss  in  this  severe  and  well  fought  action 
was  ten  killed  and  thirty-two  wounded  of  the  regular 
troops,  and  eight  killed  and  twenty-eight  wounded  of 
the  Ohio  and  Michigan  militia.  The  full  extent  of  the 
force  of  the  enemy  is  not  known.  There  were  four 
hundred  regulars  and  Canadian  militia,  under  com- 
mand of  major  Muir,  and  a  considerable  body  of  In- 
dians under  Tecumseh.  Forty  of  the  latter  were  found 
dead  on  the  field  :  fifteen  of  the  British  regulars  were 
killed  and  wounded,  and  four  taken  prisoners.  The  loss 
of  the  Canadian  militia  and  volunteers,  was  never  as- 
certained, but  is  supposed,  from  the  position  which  they 
occupied  in  the  action,  to  have  been  considerable. 
Both  major  Muir  and  Tecumseh  were  wounded.  The 
bravery  and  good  conduct  of  the  latter,  in  this  engage- 
ment, are  supposed  to  have  led  to  his  being  shortly 
afterwards  appointed  a  brigadier  general,  in  the  service 
of  the  British  king. 

When  Detroit  was  captured,  on  the  16th  of  August, 
Tecumseh  was  at  the  head  of  the  Indians.  After  the 
surrender,  general  Brock  requested  him  not  to  allow 
his  men  to  ill-treat  the  prisoners,  to  which  he  replied, 
"no!  I  despise  them  too  much  to  meddle  with  them."'* 

"Tecumseh  was  an  excellent  judge  of  position;  and 
not  only  knew,  but  could  point  out  the  localities  of  the 


■l^M 


,  r  ■• :  I 


I  ' 


•1^ 


ri     ci 


f*'  '!• 


*  Book  of  the  Indians,  by  S.  G.  Drake. 


166 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


i 


.t' 


whole  country  through  which  he  passed.     His  facility 
of  communicating  the   mformation  he  had  acquired, 
was  thus  displayed  before  a  concourse  of  spectators. 
Previously  to  general  Brock's  crossing  over  to  Detroit, 
he  asked  him  what  sort  of  a  country  he  should  have  to 
pass  through,  in  case  of  his  proceeding  farther.     Te- 
cumseh,  taking  a  roll  of  elm  bark,  and  extending  it  on 
the  ground  by  means  of  four  stones,  drew  forth  his 
scalping  knife,  and  with  the  point  presently  etched 
upon  the  bark  a  plan  of  the  country,  its  hills,  rivers, 
woods,  morasses  and  roads ;  a  plan  which,  if  not  as 
neat,  was  for  the  purpose  required,  fully  as  intelligible 
as  if  Arrowsmith  himself  had  prepared  it.     Pleased 
with  this  unexpected  talent  in  Tecumseh,  also  by  his 
i    having ,  with  his  characteristic  boldness,  induced  the  In- 
dians, not  of  his  immediate  party,  to  cross  the  Detroit, 
prior  to  the  embarkation  of  the  regulars  and  militia, 
general  Brock,  as  soon  as  the  business  was  over,  pub- 
licly took  off"  his  sash,  and  placed  it  round  the  body  of 
the  chief     Tecumseh  received  the  honor  with  evident 
gratification ;  but  was  next  day  seen  without  his  sash. 
General  Brock  fearing  something  had  displeased  the 
Indian,  sent  his  interpreter  for  an  explanation.     The 
latter  soon  returned  with  an  account,  that  Tecumseh, 
not  wishing  to  wear  such  a  mark  of  distinction,  when 
an  older,  and  as  he  said,  abler  warrior  than  himself,  was 
present,  had  transferred  the  sash  to  the  Wyandot  chief. 
Roundhead."* 
4      On  the  1 5th  of  August,  the  garrison  of  Chicago,  situa- 
ted in  the  south-western  bend  of  lake  Michigan, — con- 
sisting of  about  seventy  men,  with  some  women  and 
children,— were  attacked  by  a  large  body  of  Indians, 
who  had  been  lying  around  the  fort  for  some  time,  pro- 
fessing neutrality.     The  whole  were  either  murdered 
or  taken  prisoners.     The  garrison,  under  the  direction 
of  captains  Heald  and  Wells,  having  destroyed  the  fort 
and  distributed  the  public  stores  among  the  Indians, 
was  about  to  retreat  towards  fort  Wayjie,     As  the  In- 
dians around  Chicago  had  not  yet  taki  n  sides  in  the 
war,  the  garii;;on  would  probably  hare  escaped,^ had 


*  James'  Military  Occurrences  of  the  h,.:u-  War. 


no 

Va 

dis 

ve 

• 

tui 

of 

dit 

an 

be 

tb( 

Te 

hu 

* 

all 

LIFE    OF    TKCUMSEH. 


IG7 


not  Tecumseh,  immediately  after  the  attack  upon  major 
Vanhorn,  at  Brownstown,  seat  a  juniier  to  these  In- 
dians, claiming  the  victory  over  that  officer;  and  con- 
veying to  them  information  that  general  Hull  had  re- 
turned to  Detroit ;  and  that  there  was  every  prospect 
of  success  over  him.  This  intelligence  reached  the  In- 
dians the  night  previous  the  evacuation  of  Chicago, 
and  led  them  at  once,  as  Tecumseh  had  anticipated,  to 
become  the  allies  of  the  British  iiimy. 

At  the  period  of  colonel  Campbell's  expedition  against 
the  Mississinaway  towns,  in  the  month  of  December, 
Tecumseh  was  in  that  neighborhood,  with  about  six 
hundred  Indians,  whose  services  he  had  engaged  as 
allies  of  Great  Britian.  He  was  not  in  the  battle  of  the 
river  Raishi  on  the  2 2d  of  January.  Had  he  been 
present  on  that  occasion,  the  known  magnanimity  of 
his  character,  justifies  the  belief  that  the  horrible  mas- 
sacre of  prisoners,  which  followed  that  action,  would 
not  have  taken  place.  Not  only  the  savages,  but  their 
aiavage  leaders.  Proctor  and  Elliott,  would  have  been 
held  in  check,  by  a  chief  who,  however  daring  and 
dreadful  in  the  hour  of  battle,  was  never  known  to  ill- 
treat  or  murder  a  prisoner. 


■;js 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Siege  of  fort  Meigs — ^Tecumseh  commands  the  Indians — acts  with  intrepid- 
ity— ^rescues  the  American  prisoners  firom  the  tomahawk  and  scalping 
knife,  after  Dudley's  defeat — reported  agreement  between  Proctor  and 
Tecumseh,  that  general  Harrison,  if  taken  prisoner,  should  be  delivered 
to  the  latter  to  be  burned. 

^  Fort  Meigs,  situated  on  the  south-east  side  of  the 
Miami  of  the  lakes,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  of  that 
stream,  was  an  octagonal  enclosure,  with  eight  block 
houses,  picketed  with  timber,  and  surrounded  by  ditch- 
es. It  was  two  thousand  five  hundred  yards  in  cir- 
cumference, and  required,  to  garrison  it  with  efficiency, 
about  two  thousand  men.  ^t  was  constructed  under 
the  immediate  superintendence  of  colonel  E.  D.  Wood, 


16*8 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH- 


I  i 


;m  , 


of  the  carps  ot*  engineers,  one  of  the  most  scientific  and 
gallant  officers  of  the  lato  war.  This  post,  which  was 
established  in  the  spring  of  1813,  was  important  not 
only  for  the  protection  of  the  frontiers,  but  as  the  depot 
for  the  artillery,  mi^'^ar^'-  stores  and  provisions,  neces- 
sary for  the  j;>rc.  ccuf.i.>n  of  the  ensuing  campaign. 
These  circu,;i,yf!xt!  c3  could  not  fail  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  enemy ;  and  the  commande  of  the  Ameri- 
can army  was  not  disappointed  in  supposing  that  fort 
Meigs  would  be  the  first  point  of  attack,  upon  the 
opening  of  the  spring,  by  the  cor  ibined  forces  of  Proc- 
tor and  Tecumseh. 

In  the  latter  part  of  March,  intelligence  reached  this 
post  that  Proctor  had  issued  a  general  order  for  assem- 
bling the  Canadian  militia  at  ^ndwich,  on  the  7th  of 
April,  to  unite  in  an  expedition  against  fort  Meigs. 
This  information  gave  a  fresh  impulse  to  the  «fl[brts 
then  making  to  render  the  fort,  which  was  still  in  an 
unfinished  state,  as  strong  as  possible.  On  the  8th  of 
April,  colonel  Ball  arrived  with  two  hundred  dragoons; 
and  on  the  12th  general  Harrison  reached  the  fort  with 
three  hundred  men  from  the  posts  on  the  Auglaize  and 
St.  Mary's.  Vigorous  preparations  were  now  made  for 
the  anticipated  siege.  On  the  19th,  a  scouting  party 
returned  from  the  river  Raisin,  with  three  Frenchmen, 
who  stated  that  the  British  were  still  rrtaking  arrange- 
ments for  an  attack  on  this  post ;  and  were  assembling 
a  very  large  Indian  force.  They  informed  general  Har- 
rison that  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet  had  reached 
Sandwich,  v.'ith  about  six  hundred  Indians,  collected 
in  the  country  between  lake  Michigan  and  the  Wabash. 
This  intelligence  removed  the  apprehension  ente^'tained 
by  the  general,  that  the  Indians  intended  to  fall  upon 
the  posts  in  his  rear,  while  Proctor  should  attack  fort 
Meigs.  On  the  26th,  the  advance  of  the  enemy  was 
discovered  at  the  mouth  of  the  bay ;  and  on  the  28th, 
the  British  and  Indian  forces  were  found  to  be  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  fort.  At  this  time,  only  a  part  of 
the  troops  destined  for  the  defence  of  the  place,  had 
arrived ;  but  the  remainder,  under  the  command  of 
general  Green  Giay,  of  Kentucky,  were  daily  expected. 
So  soon  as  the  fort  was  actually  invested  by  the  In 


li 


LIFE    or   TECUMSSn. 


IH 


dians,  an  express  was  sent  by  the  commander-in-chief, 
to  inform  general  Clay  of  the  fact,  and  direct  his  subscr 
queut  movements.  This  dangerous  enterprise — for  the 
Indians  were  already  in  considerable  numbers  around 
the  fort — was  undertaken  and  successfully  executed  by 
captain  William  Oliver,*  (j  gallant  young  officer  be- 
longing to  the  commissary's  department,  who,  to  a  fa- 
miliar acquaintance  with  the  geography  of  the  country 
united  much  knowledge  of  Indian  warfare.  Attended 
by  a  white  man  and  a  Delaware  Indian,  Oliver  travers 
ed  the  country  to  fort  Findlay,  thence  to  fort  Amanda, 
and  finally  met  with  general  Clay  at  fort  Winchester, 
on  the  2d  of  May,  and  communicated  to  him  general 
Harrison's  instructions. 

Soon  after  Oliver  had  started  on  this  enterprise,  the 
gunboats  of  the  enemy  approached  the  site  of  old  fort 
Miami,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  about  two 
miles  below  fort  Meigs.  In  the  course  of  the  ensuing 
night  they  commenced  the  erection  of  three  batteries, 
opposite  the  fort  on  a  high  bank,  about  three  hundred 
yards  from  the  river,  the  intermediate  space  of  ground 
being  open  and  partly  covered  with  water.  Two  of 
them  were  gun  batteries,  with  four  embrasures,  and 
were  situated  higher  up  the  river  than  the  fort;  th^ 
third  was  a  bomb  battery,  placed  a  short  distance  be- 
low. Early  the  next  morning,  a  fire  was  opened  upo»^ 
them  from  the  fort,  which,  to  some  extent,  impeded  the 


*  Now  Major  William  Oliver,  of  Cincinnat  It  is  but  an  act  of  justice 
to  this  gentleman  to  state  that,  for  the  voluntary  performance  of  this  ser- 
vice, he  refused  all  pecuniary  compensation.  General  Harrison  subse- 
quently, in  a  letter  to  major  Oliver,  in  relation  to  this  8e^^'ice,  says,  "  To 
prevent  the  possibility  of  these  orders  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  the  ene- 
my, they  'ould  not  be  committed  to  writing,  but  must  be  comraunicatei 
verbally,  y  a  confidential  officer.  The  selection  of  one  suited  to  the  per- 
formance of  this  important  trust  was  a  matter  of  no  little  difficulty.  To 
the  qualities  of  undoubted  patriotism,  moral  firmness,  as  well  a«  active  cour- 
age, sagacity  and  prudence,  it  was  necessary  that  he  should  unite  a  tho- 
rough knowledge  of  the  country  through  which  the  troops  were  to  paw, 
and  of  all  the  localities  of  the  position  upon  which  they  were  advancing. 
Without  the  latter,  the  possession  of  the  former  would  be  useless,  and  the 
•bsence  of  either  of  the  former  might  render  the  'atte?  not  only  useless,  hxA 
in  the  highest  degree  mischievous.    Although  there  was  no  coincideacf 

lw.»n././t.n    tka  narfftrrnartntk  nf    t|i;<!    <illtV    RtlA    thOSC   WhlCh  ai^D6rt^in^d  tO  tflS 

department  ohhe  stafFin  which  you  held  an  appointment,  [the  commiMfiriat] 
I  did  not  kmg  hiaiUte  in  fixing  on  you  for  thi*  aervtcA." 


:P4 

k:  Mil 


n'*l 


■.4' 


<    .'•         ,1 


170 


LIFE   OF   TECUMSEH. 


;     It, 


\  I 


progress  of  the  works.  On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  the 
enemy,  under  a  heavy  and  somewhat  fatal  fire  from  the 
guns  of  the  fort,  raised  and  adjusted  their  cannon,  while 
at  the  same  time,  a  number  of  boats  filled  with  Indians 
were  seen  crossing  to  the  south-eastern  side  of  the  river. 

On  the  morning  of  the  first  of  May,  the  British  bat- 
teries were  completed ;  and  about  ten  o'clock,  the  ene- 
my appeared  to  be  adjusting  their  guns  on  certain  ob- 
jects in  the  fort.  «  By  this  time  our  troops  had  comple- 
ted a  grand  traverse,  about  twelve  feet  high,  upon  a 
base  of  twenty  feet,  three  hundred  yards  long,  on  the 
most  elevated  ground  through  the  middle  of  the  camp, 
calculated  to  ward  off  the  shot  of  the  enemy's  batteriesw 
Orders  were  given  for  all  the  tents  in  front  to  be  in- 
stantly removed  into  its  rear,  which  was  eflfected  in  a 
few  minutes,  and  that  beautiful  prospect  of  cannona- 
ding and  bombarding  our  lines,  which  but  a  few  mo- 
ments before  had  excited  the  skill  and  energy  of  the 
British  engineer,  was  now  entirely  fled;  and  in  its 
place  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  an  immense  shield  of 
earth,  which  entirely  obscured  the  whole  army.  Not 
a  tent  nor  a  single  person  was  to  be  seen.  Those  can- 
vas houses,  which  had  concealed  the  growth  of  the 
traverse  from  the  view  of  the  enemy,  were  now  protect- 
ed and  hid  in  their  turn.  The  prospect  of  smoking  us 
out,  was  now  at  best  but  very  faint.  But  as  neither 
general  Proctor  nor  his  officers  were  yet  convinced  of 
the  folly  and  futility  of  their  laborious  preparations, 
their  batteries  were  opened,  and  five  days  were  spent 
in  arduous  cannonading  and  bombarding,  to  bring 
them  to  this  salutary  conviction.  A  tremendous  can- 
nonading was  kept  up  all  the  rest  of  the  day,  and 
shells  were  thrown  until  11  o'clock  at  night.  Very  lit- 
tle damage,  however,  was  done  in  the  camp ;  one  or  two 
were  killed,  and  three  or  four  wounded;  among  the 
latter  was  major  Amos  Stoddard,  of  the  first  regiment 
of  artillery,  a  survivor  of  the  revolution,  and  an  officer 
of  much  merit.  He  was  wounded  slightly  with  a  piece 
of  shell,  and  about  ten  days  afterwards  died  with  the 
lock-jaw. 

••  The  fire  of  the  enemy  was  returned  ironi  the  fort 
with  one  eighteen  pounder  with  some  eflect,  though 


MPE   OV   TEtUMSEH. 


171 


but  sparingly,  for  the  stock  of  eighteen  pound  shot  was 
but  small,  there  being  but  three  hundred  and  sixty  of 
that  size  in  the  fort  when  tlie  siege  commenced ;  and 
about  the  same  number  for  the  twelve^ pounders."* 

Throughout  the  whole  of  the  second  day  the  firing 
was  continued  with  great  spirit,  but  without  doing 
much  damage  on  either  side.  General  Harrison,  in 
anticipation  of  a  transfer  of  the  enemy's  guns  to  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  and  the  establishment  of  batte- 
ries to  play  upon  the  centre  or  flanks  of  the  camp,  had 
directed  the  construction  of  works  calculated  to  resist 
such  an  attack ;  and  they  were  in  a  state  of  considera- 
ble forwardness  on  the  morning  of  the  third,  when, 
from  the  the  bushes  on  the  left  of  the  fort,  three  field 
pieces  and  a  howitzer  were  suddenly  opened  upon  the 
camp  by  the  enemy.  The  fire  was  returned  with  such 
efl*ect,  that  general  Proctor  was  soon  compelled  to 
change  his  position.  His  batteries  were  again  opened 
on  the  camp  from  another  point,  but  without  doing 
much  injury.  On  the  fourth,  the  fire  of  the  enemy 
was  renewed,  but  with  less  energy  than  on  the  pre- 
vious days,  the  result,  it  is  supposed,  of  a  belief  that 
their  efforts  to  reduce  the  fort  would  fail.  General 
Harrison  was  waiting  the  arrival  of  general  Clay  with 
his  reinforcements.  Late  in  the  night  of  the  fourth, 
captain  OUver,  accompanied  by  majors  David  Trimble 

■  and Taylor,  with  fifteen  Ohio  militia,  having  left 

general  Clay  above  the  rapids,  started  in  a  boat  for  the 
fort,  that  the  commanding  general,  by  knowing  the 
position  of  the  reinforcements,  might  form  his  plans  for 
the  ensuing  day.  The  effort  to  reach  the  fort  under 
the  existing  circumstances  was  extremely  dangerous. 
Captain  Leslie  Combs  had  already  attempted  it,  and 
failed.  He  had  been  sent  by  colonel  Dudley,  upon  his 
arrival  at  Defiance,  to  inform  general  Harrison  of  the 
fact.  With  five  men,  the  captain  approached  within  a 
mile  of  the  fort,  when  he  was  attacked  by  the  Indians, 
and  compelled  to  retreat  after  a  gallant  resistance,  in 
which  nearly  all  his  companions  were  killed.  When 
Oliver  drew  near  the  fort,  the  night  was  extremely 


tU 


"t 


'( ^ 


*  M'AiTee. 


172 


LIFK    OP    T£CUMSEH. 


dark,  and  he  was  only  enabled  to  discover  the  spot  by 
the  spreading  branches  of  a  solitary  oak  tree,  standing 
within  the  fortification.  The  boat  was  fired  upon  by 
the  sentinels  of  the  fort,  but  on  their  being  hailed  by 
captain  Oliver,  no  further  alarm  was  given.  After 
landing  and  wading  over  a  ravine  filled  with  water, 
the  party  groped  their  ^vay  to  one  of  the  gates,  and 
were  admitted.  Tecumseh  and  his  Indians  were  ex- 
tremely vigilant,  and,  at  night,  usually  came  close  to 
the  ramparts  for  the  purpose  of  annoying  our  troops, 
as  opportunity  might  offer.  So  soon  as  general  Harri- 
son had  received  the  information  brought  by  captain 
Oliver  and  his  companions,  he  made  his  arrangements 
for  the  ensuing  day.  Captain  Hamilton,  attended  by  a 
subaltern,  was  immediately  despatched  up  the  river  in 
a  canoe  with  orders  to  general  Clay.  The  captain  met 
him  at  daylight  five  miles  above  the  fort,  the  boats 
conveying  the  reinforcements  having  been  delayed  by 
the  darkness  of  the  night.  Captain  Hamilton  deliver- 
ed the  following  order  to  general  Clay.  ''  You  must 
detach  about  eight  hundred  men  from  your  brigade, 
and  land  them  at  a  point  I  will  show  you  about  a  mile 
or  a  mile  and  a  half  above  camp  Meigs.  I  will  then 
conduct  the  detachment  to  the  British  batteries  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  river.  The  batteries  must  be  taken, 
the  cannon  spiked,  and  the  carriages  cut  down ;  and 
the  troops  must  then  return  to  their  boats  and  cross 
over  to  the  fort.  The  balance  of  your  men  must  land 
on  the  fort-side  of  the  river,  opposite  the  first  landing, 
and  fight  their  way  into  the  fort  through  the  Indians. 
The  route  they  must  take  will  be  pointed  out  by  a 
subaltern  officer  now  with  me,  who  will  land  the  canoe 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  river  to  point  out  the  land- 
ing for  the  boats."*  As  soon  as  these  orders  were  re- 
ceived by  general  Clay,  who  was  in  the  thirteenth  boat 
from  the  front,  he  directed  captain  Hamilton  to  go  to 
colonel  Dudley,  with  orders  to  take  the  twelvt  front 
boats  and  execute  the  plan  of  the  commanding  general 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  river;  and  to  post  the  subaltern 
with  the  canoe  on  the  right  bank,  at  the  point  where 


*  M'Affee. 


LIFE    OF    TECUilSEH. 


173 


the  remainder  of  the  reinforcement  was  directed  to 
land.  It  was  the  design  of  general  Harrison  while  the 
troops  under  Dudley  were  destroying  the  enemy's  bat- 
teries on  the  north-west  side  of  the  river,  and  general 
Clay  was  fighting  the  Indians  above  the  fort  on  the 
south-east  side,  to  send  out  a  detachment  to  take  and 
spike  the  British  guns  on  the  south  side. 

"  General  Clay  ordered  the  five  remaining  boats  to 
fall  behind  the  one  occupied  by  him;  but  in  attempting 
to  do  so,  they  were  driven  on  shore,  and  thus  thrown 
half  a  mile  into  the  rear.  The  general  kept  close  to 
the  right  barnk,  intending  to  land  opposite  to  the  detach- 
ment under  Dudley,  but  finding  no  guide  there,  and  the 
Indians  having  commenced  a  brisk  fire  on  his  boat,  he 
attempted  to  cross  to  the  detachment.  The  current, 
however,  was  so  swift,  that  it  soon  carried  him  too  far 
down  for  that  project;  he  therefore  turned  back,  and 
landed  on  the  right  bank  further  down.  Captain  Peter 
Dudley,  with  a  part  of  his  company,  was  in  this  boat, 
making  in  the  whole  upwards  of  fifty  men,  who  now 
marched  into  camp  without  loss,  amidst  a  shower  of 
grape  from  the  British  batteries  and  the  fire  of  some  In- 
dians. The  boat  with  their  baggage  and  four  sick  sol- 
diers, was  left,  as  the  general  supposed,  in  the  care  of 
two  men  who  met  him  at  his  landing,  and  by  whom  he 
expected  she  would  be  brought  down  under  the  guns 
of  the  fort.  In  a  few  minutes,  however,  she  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Indians.  The  attempt  which  he  had 
made  to  cross  the  river,  induced  colonel  Boswell,  with 
the  rear  boats,  to  land  on  the  opposite  side ;  but  as  soon 
as  captain  Hamilton  discovered  the  error  under  which 
he  was  acting,  he  instructed  him  to  cross  over  and  fight 
his  way  into  camp.  When  he  arrived  at  the  south  side, 
he  was  annoyed  on  landing  by  the  Indians;  and  as  soon 
as  his  men  were  on  shore,  he  formed  them  and  returned 
the  fire  of  the  enemy;  at  the  same  time  he  was  direct- 
ed by  captain  Shaw,  from  the  commanding  general,  to 
march  in  open  order,  through  the  plain,  to  the  fort.  As 
there  was  now  a  large  body  of  Indians  on  his  flank, 
general  Harrison  determined  to  send  out  a  reinforce- 
ment from  the  garrison  to  enable  him  to  beat  them. 
Accordingly,  Alexander's  brigade,  a  part  of  Johnson'a 

p  2 


iv  'f\ 


I*  ' 


'i    I 


174 


•i  >^'    UF    TECUMSEU. 


battalion,  and  \,k^  compunies  of  captains  Nearing  and 
Dudley,  were  ordered  to  prepare  for  this  duty.  When 
the  Kentuckians  reached  the  gates  of  the  fort,  these 
troops  were  ready  to  joLi  them.  Having  formed  in 
order — colonel  Boswell  beiug  on  the  right, — they  march- 
ed against  the  Indians,  wb)  were  superior  to  them  iu 
numbers,  and  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  forced  them 
into  the  woods  to  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  or  more. 
Such  was  the  ardor  of  our  troops,  in  the  pursuit,  that 
it  was  difficult,  especially  f  vf  the  Kentucky  officers,  to 
induce  their  men  to  return. 

General  Harrison  had  new  taken  a  position  on  one 
of  the  batteries  of  the  fort,  that  he  might  see  the  various 
movements  which  at  this  moment  claimed  his  attention. 
He  soon  perceived  a  detachment  of  British  and  Indians 
passing  along  the  edge  of  the  woods,  with  a  view  to 
reach  the  left  and  rear  of  Itie  corps  under  Boswell :  he 
forthwith  despatched  his  volunteer  aid,  John  T.  John- 
ston, to  recall  the  troops  under  Boswell  from  the  pur- 
suit. Johnston's  horse  having  been  killed  before  he 
dehvered  this  order,  it  was  repeated  through  major 
Graham,  and  a  retreat  was  commenced:  the  Indians 
promptly  rallied  and  boldly  pursued  them  for  some  dis- 
tance, killing  and  wounding  a  number  of  our  troops. 
So  soon  as  the  commanding  general  perceived  that 
colonel  Dudley  and  his  detachment  had  reached  the 
batteries  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  river,  and  entered 
successfully  upon  the  execution  of  the  duty  assigned 
them,  he  ordered  colonel  John  Miller  of  the  regulars  to 
make  a  sortie  from  the  fort,  against  the  batteries  which 
the  enemy  had  erected  on  the  south  side  of  the  river. 
The  detachment  assigned  to  colonel  Miller,  amounted 
to  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  composed  of  the 
companies  and  parts  of  companies  of  captains  Langham, 
Croghan,  Bradford,  Nearing,  Elliott,  and  lieutenants 
Gwynne  and  Campbell  of  the  regular  troops ;  the  vo- 
lunteers of  Alexander's  battalion ;  and  captain  Sebree's 
company  of  Kentucky  militia.  Colonel  Miller  and  his 
men  charged  upon  the  enemy,  and  drove  them  from 
their  position ;  spiked  the  cannon  at  their  batteries,  and 
secured  forty-one  prisoners.  The  force  of  the  enemy, 
thus  driven  and  defeated,  consisted  of  two  hundred 


LIVE    Of    TECUMSEH. 


175 


taring  and 
y.  When 
fort,  these 
formed  in 
ley  march- 

0  them  ill 
reed  til  em 
e  or  more, 
irsuit,  that 
officers,  to 

Dn  on  one 
;he  various 

attention, 
[id  Indians 

a  view  to 
3swell:  he 
11  T.  John- 

1  the  pur- 
before  he 

igh  major 
16  Indians 
'  some  dis- 
)ur  troops, 
eived  that 
sached  the 
nd  entered 
Y  assigned 
regulars  to 
ries  which 

the  river. 

amounted 
)sed  of  the 
Langham, 
lieutenants 
)s ;  the  vo- 
in  Sebree's 
ler  and  his 
them  from 
tteries,  and 
he  enemy, 
0  hundred 


British  regulars,  one  hundred  and  fifty  Canadians  and 
about  five  hundred  Indians,  under  the  immediate  com- 
mand of  Tecumseh,  in  all  more  than  double  the  force 
of  the  detachment  under  colonel  Miller.     In  this  sortie 
captain  Sebree's  company  of  militia,  was  particularly 
distinguished.     With  the  intrepid  bravery  and  reckless 
ardor  for  which  the  Kentucky  troops  are  noted,  they 
plunged  into  the  thickest  ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  were 
for  a  time  surrounded  by  the  Indians,  who  gallantly 
pressed  upon  them;  but  they  maintained  their  ground 
until  lieutenant  Gwynne,*  of  the  19th  regiment,  per- 
ceiving their  imminent  peril,  boldly  charged  upon  the 
Indians,  with  a  portion  of  captain  Elliott's  company 
and  released  captain  Sebree  and  his  men  from  their 
dangerous  situation.     Had  the  force  of  colonel  Miller 
been  something  stronger,  he  would  probably  have  cap- 
tured the  whole  of  the  enemy,  then  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river.     The  British  and  Indians  suffered  severe- 
ly, being  finally  driven  back  and  thrown  into  confusion 
As  colonel  Miller  commenced  his  return  to  the  fort  the 
enemy  rallied  and  pressed  with  great  bravery  upon  his 
rear,  until  he  arrived  near  the  breast-works.     A  con- 
siderable number  of  our  soldiers  were  left  dead  on  the 
field,  and  several  officers  were  wounded. 

Colonel  Dudley's  movements  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  are  now  to  be  noticed.  A  landing  was  effected 
by  his  detachment,  which  was  immediately  marched 
off,  through  an  open  plain,  to  a  hill  clothed  with  tim- 
ber. Here  the  troops  were  formed  into  three  columns 
colonel  Dudley  placing  himself  at  the  head  of  the  right' 
major  Shelby  leading  the  left,  and  captain  Morrison' 
acting  as  major,  the  centre.  The  distance  from  the 
place  where  the  detachment  was  formed  in  order,  to 
the  point  to  be  attacked,  was  near  two  miles.  The  bat- 
teries were  engaged  in  cannonading  camp  Meigs,  when 
the  column  led  by  major  Shelby,  being  a  few  hundred 
yards  in  advance  of  the  others,  rushed  at  full  speed  up- 
on those  having  charge  of  the  guns,  and  carried  them 
without  the  loss  of  a  single  man.  When  the  British 
flag  was  cut  down,  the  garrison  of  fort  Meigs  shouted 


*  Major  David  Gwynne,  now  of  Cincinnati. 


wr    - 


17f 


LIFB    OF   TECUMSEH. 


for  joy.  The  grand  object  of  the  enterprise  havnig 
been  achieved,  the  general,  who  was  watching  the 
movements  of  the  detachment,  made  signs  to  them  to 
retreat  to  their  boats ;  but  to  his  great  surprise,  and  in 
express  disobedience  of  the  orders  transmitted  through 
colonel  Hamilton,  our  troops  remained  at  the  batteries, 
quietly  looking  around,  without  spiking  the  cannon, 
cutting  down  the  carriages  or  destroying  the  magazines. 
This  delay  proved  fatal  to  them.  The  general,  alarm 
ed  for-their  safety,  now  offered  a  very  high  reward  to 
any  individual  who  would  bear  fresh  orders  to  colonel 
Dudley  and  his  men,  to  return  to  their  boats  and  cross 
over  the  river  to  the  fort.  The  service  was  undertaken 
by  lieutenant  Campbell.  "  About  the  time  when  the 
batteries  were  taken,  a  body  of  Indians,  lying  in  am- 
bush, had  fired  on  a  party  of  spies  under  captain 
Combs,  who  had  marched  down  on  the  extreme  left  of 
the  detachment.  Presently  colonel  Dudley  gave  orders 
to  reinforce  the  spies,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  right 
and  centre  columns  rushed  into  the  woods  in  confu- 
sion, with  their  colonel  among  them — to  fight  the  In- 
dians, whom  they  routed  and  pursued  near  two  miles. 
The  left  column  remained  in  possession  of  the  batte- 
ries, till  the  fugitive  artillerists  returned  with  a  rein- 
forcement from  the  main  British  camp,  and  attacked 
them.  Some  of  them  were  then  made  prisoners,  others 
fled  to  the  boats,  and  a  part,  who  were  rallied  by  the 
exertions  of  their  major,  marched  to  the  aid  of  colonel 
Dudley.  The  Indians  had  also  been  reinforced,  and 
the  confusion  in  which  major  Shelby  found  the  men 
under  Dudley,  was  so  great  as  to  amount  to  a  cessation 
of  resistance ;  while  the  savages,  skulking  around  them, 
continued  the  work  of  destruction  in  safety.  At  last  a 
retreat  commenced  in  disorder,  but  the  greater  part  of 
the  men  were  captured  by  the  Indians,  or  surrendered 
to  the  British  at  the  batteries.  The  gallant  but  unfor- 
tunate colonel  Dudley,  after  being  wounded,  was  over- 
taken and  despatched  with  the  tomahawk.  The  num- 
ber of  those  who  escaped  and  got  into  the  fort,  out  of 
the  whole  detachment,  was  considerably  below  two 
hundred.  Had  the  orders  which  colonel  Dudley  re- 
cieved,  been  duly  regarded,  or  a  proper  degree  of  judg 


LIFE    OF    TECTJMSEH. 


17f 


36  having 
ching  the 

0  them  to 
se,  and  in 
d  through 

batteries, 
3  cannon, 
lagazines. 
:al,  alarm 
reward  to 
to  colonel 
and  cross 
ndertaken 
when  the 
ig  in  am- 
jr  captain 
me  left  of 
a-ve  orders 
r  the  right 

in  confu- 
ht  the  In- 
:wo  miles, 
the  batte- 
th  a  rein- 

1  attacked 
ers,  others 
led  by  the 
of  colonel 
)rced,  and 
I  the  men 
I  cessation 
und  them, 

At  last  a 
er  part  of 
irrendered 
but  unfor- 
was  over- 
The  num- 
brt,  out  of 
)elow  two 
)udley  re- 
3e  of  judg 


mem  exercised  on  the  occasion,  the  day  would  certain 
ly  have  been  an  important  one  for  the^  country  1 7.' 
glorious  one  for  the  army.     Every  thing  mi^h    lave 
been  accomplished  agreeably  to  the  wishl.  and  inte„ 
ti^ns  of  the  general,  with  the  loss  of  but  few  me  " 
When  the  approach  of  the  detachment  under  Dudlev 
was  reported  to  Proctor,  he  supposed  it  to  be  Uie  main 
orce  of  the  Amer  can  army,  from  which  he  was  aZe" 
b^r   ,^^i*^«.'"'ght  sustain  a  total  defeat:  he  there 
tore  recalled  a  large  portion  of  his  British  and  Indkn. 
from  the  opposite  shore.     They  did  not  arrive  hcnv 
::^}^'''^  '^  P-^^k^  -  thl  contest  orX'noiTh 

After  the  fighting  had  ceased  on  the  fifth,  the  British 
general  sem  a  flag  to  the  fort  by  major  Chambers  and 
his  m  roduction  to  general  Harrison  was  suSed  bv 
the  following  significant  dialogue :  ^^^ceeded  by 

"Jjfcrfor  Chambers.  General  Proctor  has  directed 
me  to  demand  the  sr  ^ender  of  this  post.  He  wishes 
to  spare  the  effusion  of  blood.  -"c  wisnes 

«  Geiieml  Harrison.     The  demand,  under   present 
c  rcumstances,  is  a  most  extraordinary  one.     L^gene 
a  Proc  or  did  not  send  me  a  summons  to  surrendei  on 
his  first  arrival,  I  had  supposed  that  he  believed  m 
determined  to  do  my  duty.'    His  present  mes  age  ind^^ 
caes  an  opinion  of  me  that  I  am  at  a  loss  to  accoun  fo 
thinlfl?T  ^^^^^^-^•.    General  Proctor  could  never 
think  of  saying  anything  to  wound  your  feelini?s  sir 

"  General  Harrison.  I  believe  I  have  a  verv  nnr 
rect  Idea  of  general  Proctor's  force;  it  is  not  sucTas  to 
create  the  least  apprehension  for  the  result  of  the  con- 
test whatever  sh.pe  he  may  be  pleased  hereafter  "o 
never  havt'',h  '  "-  general  however,  that  he  will 
erms  slnnu  '  f ,  '""•'•?«'«•«''  '»  him  upon  any 
^rms.  Should  ii  fall  into  his  hands,  it  will  be  in  a 
manner  calculated  to  do  him  more  honor,  and  to  g"ve 


11.) 


*  M'AA^ 


if 


178 


LIPP    OP   TECUMSEH. 


|!>       I 


hiia  larger  claims  upon  the  gratitude  of  his  government 
than  any  capitulation  could  possibly  do  " 

The  siege  was  continued,  but  without  any  very  ac- 
tive efforts  against  the  fort,  until  the  morning  of  the  9th 
of  May,  when  the  enemy  retreated  down  the  bay, 
leaving  behind  them  a  quantity  of  cannon  balls,  and 
other  valuable  articles. 

The  force  under  general  Proctor  amounted,  as  nearly 
as  could  be  ascertained,  to  six  hundred  regulars,  eight 
hundred  Canadian  militia,  and  about  eighteen  hundred 
Indians.  The  number  of  troops  under  general  Harri- 
son, including  those  which  arrived  on  the  morning  of 
the  fifth,  under  general  Clay,  was  about  twelve  hun- 
dred in  all.  The  number  fit  for  duty  did  not,  perhaps, 
equal  eleven  hundred. 

The  number  of  the  American  troops  killed  and  mas- 
sacred on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  was  upwards  of 
seventy.  One  hundred  and  eighty-nine  were  wound- 
ed, and  eif?lity-one  killed,  in  the  two  sorties  from  the 
fort.  The  loss  of  the  British  and  Indians,  in  killed 
and  wounded,  could  never  be  satisfactorily  ascertained. 
That  it  was  very  considerable,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 

I'he  enemy  brought  against  fort  Meigs  a  combined 
arrnv'  r.  near  three  thousand  men,  under  Proctor,  Elli- 
c:  and  Tecumseh,  and  prepared,  by  a  train  of  artillery, 
i'Ox  vigorous  operations.  These  were  prosecuted  with 
skill  and  energy.  The  Indians,  led  on  by  the  daring 
Tecumseh,  fought  with  uncommon  bravery,  and  con- 
tributed largely  to  swell  the  list  of  our  killed  and 
wounced.  It  is  said,  that  the  sagacious  leader  of  the 
Indian  forces  did  not  enter  upon  this  siege  with  any 
strong  hopes  of  ultimate  success ;  but  having  embarked 
in  it,  he  stood  manfully  in  the  post  of  danger,  and  took 
an  active,  if  not  a  leading  part,  in  planning  and  execu- 
ting the  various  movements  which  were  made  against 
the  fort.  The  spirit  with  which  these  were  prosecuted 
may  be  in  part  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  during  the 
first  five  days  of  the  siege,  the  enemy  fired  upon  the 
fort  with  their  cannon,  fifteen  hundred  times,*  many  of 
their  balls  and  bombs  being  red-hot,  and  directed  spe- 


*  Brown's  History  of  the  Late  War. 


LIFE    OF    TECUMAISH. 


overnment 

ly  very  ac- 

[  of  the  9th 

1  the  bay, 

balls,  and 

[,  as  nearly 
liars,  eight 
m  hundred 
eral  Harri- 
norning  of 
irelve  hiin- 
t,  perhaps, 

i  and  mas- 
ipwards  of 
ire  wound- 
s  from  the 
I,  in  killed 
scertained. 
no  doubt. 

combined 
octor,  Elli- 
3f  artillery, 
cuted  with 
the  daring 
r,  and  con- 
killed  and 
ider  of  the 
e  with  any 

embarked 
r,  and  took 
and  execu- 
ide  against 
prosecuted 
during  the 
[  upon  the 
,*  many  of 
rected  spe- 


179 


ml- 


,lJ'  ^^.l'«'fn  already  stated  that  thr  distineuished  lea 

e,  cred  uoontTr  *'^  '^"^"'^  'P""  cimp  Meig^ 
entered  upon  u  .vith  no  sanguine  hopes  of  succoss    Hi, 

tertained  a  different  opinion,  and  flattered  hhnself  anri 

r:j::r  i"  "vtr'  i  ^p"'"'*''*  v.==era"d  rictt 

lewaids.     in  case  of  the  reduct  on  of  ^he  fort  and  fhr, 

aSLn  thf  m'  r"^°"'  '"^  2""^*'  genera.  Tntendedt 
assign  the  Michigan  territory  to  the  ProptiU  and  his  fol 
lowers,  as  a  compensation  for  their  sernS,   and  ge„i°i, 
Harrison  was  to  have  been  delivered  into  the  hands  of 

uneol  the  public  journals  of  the  davt  states  that  thi, 
proposition  originated  with  Proctor,  and  wS  held  ou 
as  an  inducement  to  Tecumseh,  to  join  Tn  ih^  sie^e 
tZfi-^r"^''  subsequently  uAderstood  that  i-S 

Selivetd  .o"t"°  ^'T'''  ^"''^'  »>«  --  to  Ima  bei! 
nfi„ir,t,        ^'^'^uw^eh.  to  be  treated  as  that  warrio, 

an  who  fought  at  ^i^f;;,^;,*Xrdl^^^^^^^ 
~1n?d  l°^\^T/'^-     Major  Ball  of  t&  di^goo^ 
d  aiTs  a  r  nf    'Z^"'  *''°"  prisoners,  deserters  and  In 
dians   all  of  whom  agreed  to  its  truth."     Whateve. 
may  have  been  the  actual  agreement  between  Procio 
and  fecumseh  m  regard  to  general  Harrison  and  Za 

We  diatThil  T^  "'  Tippecanoe,  it  is  hLSy  ctdl 
t>le  that  this  chief  had  any  intention  of  particiDatino-  i. 

Proctor  fni'^  "  ""l^^  ""''*  ""  arrangement  with 
t-roctor,  and  announced  it  to  the  Indiansffor  the  uur 

ca^l'n/n''n  r^  "''"'  \°  "'^""•y  =^"<i  perseverance^,  , 
.tated"^!  °  ^u  "''^' ' ''"'  *^'  *'^  <=h'ef  seriously  med- 
".^^^^±^^[^^±^^^i^^S^^^^^v^msi  general  Harrison 


,  J 


B.. 


*  M'AiTce. 


t  The  ChiJiicothe  P'redonian. 


180 


I.IPE    OF    TICUMSEH. 


If 


«?, 


I      f-Ol' 


or  his  associates,  is  not  to  be  credited  but  on  the  best 
authority.  It  will  be  recollected  that  Tecumseh,  when 
but  a  youth,  succeeded  by  his  personal  influence,  in 
putting  an  end  to  the  custom  of  burning  prisoners,  then 
common  among  a  branch  of  the  Shawanoes.  In  1810, 
at  a  conference  with  general  Harrison,  in  Vinceiines, 
he  made  an  agreement  that  prisoners  and  women  and 
children,  in  the  event  of  hostilities  between  the  whites 
and  the  Indians,  should  be  protected ;  and  there  is  no 
eiHdence  that  this  compact  was  ever  violated  by  hin» ; 
cr  indeed,  that  through  the  whole  course  of  his  event- 
ful life,  he  ever  committed  violence  upon  a  prisoner,  or 
suffered  others  to  do  so  without  promptly  interfering  foi 
the  captive.  To  suppose,  then,  that  he  really  intended 
to  permit  general  Harrison,  or  those  who  fought  witli 
him  on  the  Wabash,  to  be  burned,  would  have  been  at 
variance  with  the  whole  tenor  of  his  life  ;  and  particu- 
larly with  his  manly  and  magnanimous  conduct  at  the 
close  of  the  assault  upon  fort  Meigs. 

The  prisoners  captured  on  the  fifth,  were  taken 
down  to  Proctor's  head-quarters  and  confined  in  fort 
Miami,  where  the  Indians  were  permitted  to  amuse 
themselves  by  firing  at  the  crowd,  or  at  any  particular 
individual.  Those  whose  taste  led  them  to  inflict  a 
more  cruel  and  savage  death,  led  their  victims  to  the 
gateway,  where,  under  the  eye  of  general  Proctor  and 
his  officers,  they  were  coolly  tomahawked  and  scalped. 
Upwards  of  twenty  prisoners  were  thus,  in  the  course 
of  two  hours,  massacred  in  cold  blood,  by  those  to 
whom  they  had  voluntarily  surrendered.  At  the  same 
time,  the  chiefs  of  the  difierent  tribes  were  holding  a 
council  to  determine  the  fate  of  the  remaining  captives, 
when  Tecumseh  and  colonel  Elliott  came  down  from 
the  batteries  to  the  scene  of  carnage. 

A  detailed  account  of  the  noble  conduct  of  the  for- 
mer in  regard  to  these  captives  is  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  a  letter,*  upon  the  accuracy  of  which 
reliance  may  be  placed.  The  writer,  after  contrasting 
the  brave  and  humane  Tecumseh  with  the  cruel  and 
recklcwss  Proctor,  says : 

•  This  letter  is  from  Mr.  Wm.  G.  Ewing,  formerly  of  Piqua,  O.,  and  is  Hii- 
dre««ed  under  date  of  Mav  2d,  1818,  to  John  H.  James,  Esq.  now  of  Urbana 


i  f. 


WFE   OP   TECUMSIH. 


181 


)n  the  best 
iseh,  when 
fluence, in 
3ners,  then 
In  1810, 
Vinceiines, 
/■omen  and 
the  whites 
there  is  no 
id  by  hini ; 
his  event- 
)risoner,  or 
jifering  foi 
y  intended 
3Ught  witli 
.ve  been  at 
lid  particu- 
duct  at  the 

irere  taken 
ned  in  fort 
.  to  amuse 
'  particular 
to  inflict  a 
tims  to  the 
^roctor  and 
nd  scalped. 

the  course 
•y  those  to 
d  the  same 

holding  a 
ig  captives, 
down  from 

of  the  fer- 
tile foUow- 
Y  of  which 
contrasting 
cruel  and 


a,  0.,an(3  isHii- 
now  of  Urbana 


•<The  most  unfortunate  event  of  that  contest,  I  pre- 
siinie  you  will  admit  to  have  been  the  defeat  of  colonel 
Dudley.     I  will  give  you  a  statement  made  to  me  by  a 
British  officer  who  was  present.     He  states,  that  when 
colonel  Dudley  landed  his  troops,  Tecumseh,  the  brave 
but  unfortunate  commander,  was  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river,  annoying  the  American  garrison  with  his 
Indians ;  and  that  Proctor,  with  a  part  of  his  troops 
and  a  few  Indians,  remained  on  the  opposite  side  at 
the  batteries.     Dudley  attacked  him,  and  pursued  him 
two  miles.     During  this  time,  Harrison  had  sent  out  a 
detachment  to  engage  Tecumseh ;  and  that  the  contest 
with  him  continued  a  considerable  length  of  time,  be- 
fore he  was  informed  of  what  was  doing  on  the  oppo- 
site side.     He  immediately  retreated,  swam  over  the 
river  and  fell  in  the  rear  of  Dudley,  and  attacked  him 
with  great  fury.     Being  thus  surrounded   and   their 
commander  killed,  the  troops  marched  up  to  the  British 
line  and  surrendered.     Shortly  afterwards,  commenced 
the  scene  of  horrors  which  I  dare  say  is  yet  fresh  in 
your  memory ;  but  I  shall  recall  it  to  your  recollection 
for  reasons  I  will  hereafter  state.     They  (the  American 
troops)  were  huddled  together  in  an  old  British  garri- 
son, with  the  Indians  around  them,  selecting  such  as 
their  fancy  dictated,  to  glut  their  savage  thirst  for  mur- 
der.    And  although  they  had  surrendered  themselves 
prisoners  of  war,  yet,  in  violation  of  the  customs  of 
war,  the  inhuman  Proctor  did  not  yield  them  the  least 
protection,  nor  attempt  to  screen  them  from  the  toma- 
hawk of  the  Indians.      Whilst  this  blood-thirsty  car- 
nage was  raging,  a  thundering  voice  was  heard  in  the 
rear,  in  the  Indian  tongue,  when,  turning  round,  he 
saw  Tecumseh  coming  with  all  the  rapidity  his  horse 
could  carry  him,  until  he  drew  near  to  Avhere  two  In- 
dians had  an  American,  and  were  in  the  act  of  killing 
him.     He  sprang  from  his  horse,  caught  one  by  the 
throat  and  the  other  by  the  breast,  and  threw  them  to 
the  ground ;  drawing  his  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife, 
he  ran  in  between  the  Americans  and  Indians,  brand- 
ishing them  with  the  fury  of  a  mad  man,  and  daring 
any  one  of  the  hundreds  that  surrounded  him,  to  at- 
tempt to  murder  another  American.     They  all  appear 

Q 


m 


>ism 


189 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


'1  r  i 


ed  confounde<!,  and  immediately  desisted.  His  mind 
appeared  rent  with  passion,  and  he  exclaimed  almost 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  «0h!  what  will  become  of  my 
Indians."  He  then  demanded  in  an  authoritative  tone, 
where  Proctor  was ;  but  casting  his  eye  upon  him  at  a 
e-mail  distance,  sternly  enquired  why  he  had  not  put  a 
stop  to  the  inhuman  massacre.  "Sir,"  said  Proctor 
"your  Indians  cannot  be  commanded."  "Begone'"' 
retorted  Tecumseh,  with  the  greatest  disdain,  <you  are 
unftt  to  command ;  go  and  put  on  petticoats.' " 

This  was  not  the  only  occasion  on  which  Tecumseh 
openly  manifested  the  contempt  which  he  felt  for  the 
character  and  conduct  of  general  Proctor.  Among 
other  instances,  it  is  stated  by  an  officer  o(  the  United 
States'  army,  m  a  letter,  under  date  of  28(h  September, 
1813,  that  in  a  conversation  between  these  two  com- 
manders of  the  allied  British  army,  Tecumseh  said  to 
if'roctor,  "  I  conquer  to  save,  and  you  to  murder ;"— an 
expression  founded  in  truth,  and  wortliy  of  the  mag- 
nanimous hero  from  whose  lips  it  fell. 

There  is  another  incident  connected  -^     h  the  defeat 
of  Dudley,  which  justice  to  the  charactc.   .;  Tecumseh 
requires  should  be  recorded.     Shortly  after  he  had  put 
a  stop  to  the  horrid  massacre  of  the  prisoners,  his 
attention  was  called  to  a  small  group  of  Indians  occu- 
pied in  looking  at  some  object  in  their  midst.     Colonel 
t^ihott  observed  to  him,  "Yonder  are  four  of  your  na- 
tion who  have  been  taken  prisoners ;  you  may  take 
charge  of  tnem,  and  dispose  of  them  as  you  think  pro 
per."     Tecumseh  walked  up  to  the  crowd,  where  he 
lound  four  Shawanoes,  two  brothers  by  the  name  of 
Perry,  Big  Jim,  and  the  Soldier.     «  Friends,"  said  he 
"colonel  Elliott  has  placed  you  under  my  charge,  and 
I  will  send  you  back  to  your  nation  with  a  talk  to  our 
people.       He  accordingly  took  them  on  with  the  army 
as  tar  as  the  river  Raisin,  from  which  point  their  return 
?^u^  Tn"'*^ ^^  ^^^^ dangerous,  and  then  appointed  two 
ot  his  tollowers  to  accompany  them,  with  some  friend- 
ly messages  to   the   chiefs  of  the  Shawanoe   nation, 
ihey  were  thus  discharged  under  their  parole,  not  to 
iight  againsUhe^Brhish  duringthe  war. 

•  Niles' Redster  ' 


His  mind 
ned  almost 
ome  of  my 
tative  tone, 
n  him  at,  a 

not  put  a 
id  Proctor, 
'  Begone !" 
1,  <  you  are 

Tecum  seh 
felt  for  the 
.  Among 
the  United 
September, 

two  com- 
eh  said  to 
der ;" — an 

the  mag- 

the  defeat 
Tecumseh 
le  had  put 
oners,  his 
ans  occu- 
Colonel 

your  na- 
niay  take 
think  pro 
where  he 

name  of 
'  said  he, 
arge,  and 
ilk  to  our 
the  army 
eir  return 
in  ted  two 
le  friend- 
e  nation, 
ie,  not  to 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH.  183 


CHAPTER  Xni. 

Tecumseh  present  at  the  hccoiuI  attack  on  fort  Meigs-hia  Htratawm  of  a 
sham-batt  e  to  draw  out  general  Clay_is  posted  in  the  Black  s^at? 
with  two  thousand  warriors  at  the  time  of  the  attack  on  fort  sLZZl 
-from  thence  pa^se.  hy  land  to  Malden-compels  general  ff'or  t^ 
release  an  American  prisoner-threatens  to  desert  the  British  Tui:i! 
urges  an  attack  upon  the  American  fleet-opposes  Proctor's  retreat  fTom 
Malden-dehvers  a  speech  to  liim  on  that  occasion. 

After  Pbandoning  the  siege  of  fort  Meigs,  general 
Proctor  anu  lecumseh  returned  to  Maiden,  where  the 
Canadian  militia  were  disbanded,  and  the  Indians,  who 
had  not  already  left  the  army,  for  their  respective  vil- 
lages, were  stationed  at  different  cantonments      The 
Chippe was  preferred  going  home;  the  Potawatamies 
were  placed  six  miles  up  the  river  Rouge ;  the  Miamis 
and  Wyandots  at  Brownstown  and  up  the  Detroit  river 
as  far  as  Maguaga.     They  were  successively  employ- 
ed  by  the  British  commander  as  scouts,  a  party  beinff 
sent  regularly,  once  a  week,  to  reconnoiter  fort  Meies 
and  other  points  in  that  vicinity.     They  planted  no 
corn  and  hunted  but  little,  being  regularly  supplied 
with  provisions  from  Detroit  and  Maiden 

Early  in  July,  the  allies  of  the  British  again  made 
their  appearance  in  the  vicinity  of  fort  Meigs  Dick- 
son,  an  influential  Scotch  trader  among  the  Indians 
having  returned  from  the  north-west  with  a  large  body 
ot  savages,  general  Proctor  was  urged  to  renew  the  at- 
tack  on  the  fort,  and  it  was  accordingly  done 

Late  on  the  evening  of  the  20th  of  July,  the  garrison 
discovered  the  boats  of  the  British  army  ascending  the 
river.  On  the  following  morning  general  Clay,  now 
in  command  of  this  post,  despatched  a  picket  guard  of 
ten  men  to  a  point  three  hundred  yards  below  the  fort 
where  it  was  surprised  by  the  Indians,  and  seven  of  the' 
party  either  killed  or  captured.  The  combined  army 
ot  Jiritish  and  Indians,  were  soon  afterwards  encamped 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  below  the  old  British 
lort  Miami.  For  a  short  time,  the  Indians  took  a  po- 
sition in  the  woods,  in  the  rear  of  the  fort,  from  which 
they  occasionally  fired  upon  the  garrison,  but  without 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/. 


/f/,.  ^^    /A  #j^ 


ifx 


fz. 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


■  50     '"^" 


2.5 


1^  1^    l||||2.2 
^   IAS    lilO 


18 


1.4    ill  1.6 


7] 


<^ 


,  ^^  4''/ 


/ 


^4 


^''.x^.^^.  'm 


w 


O^. 


Photographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14530 

(716)  372-4503 


,  .■^'*>*''-  i  ' 


.^% 


%> 


M 


184 


LIFE   OF   TECUMSEH. 


doing  any  injury.  In  the  night,  captain  Wilham  Oh- 
ver,  accompanied  by  captain  M'Cune,  was  sent  ex- 
press to  general  Harrison,  then  at  Lower  Sandusky, 
with  information  that  fort  Meigs  was  again  invested ; 
and,  that  the  united  force  of  the  enemy  did  not  fall  far 
short  of  five  thousand  men.  The  general  directed  cap- 
tain M'Cune  to  return  to  the  fort,  with  information  to 
the  commander,  that  so  soon  as  the  necessary  troops 
could  be  assembled,  he  would  march  to  his  relief.  The 
general  doubted,  however,  whether  any  serious  attack 
was  meditated  against  the  place.  He  believed,  and 
the  result  showed  the  accuracy  of  his  judgment,  that 
the  enemy  was  making  a  feint  at  the  Rapids,  to  call 
his  attention  in  that  direction,  while  Lower  Sandusky 
or  Cleveland,  would  be  the  real  point  of  assault.  On 
the  23d  Tecumseh,  with  about  eight  hundred  Iiidians, 
passed  up  the  river,  with  the  intention,  as  general  Clay 
supposed,  of  attacking  fort  Winchester :  this  movement, 
as  was  subsequently  ascertained,  being  also  intended 
to  deceive  the  commander  of  the  fort.  On  the  25th  the 
enemy  removed  to  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and  en- 
camped behind  a  point  of  woods  which  partly  conceal- 
ed them  from  the  view  of  the  garrison.  This,  taken 
in  connection  with  other  circumstances,  led  general 
Clay  to  think  that  an  effort  would  be  made  to  carry 
the  post  by  assault.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  26th 
captain  M'Cune  reached  the  fort  in  safety.  In  the  af- 
ternoon of  that  day,  the  enemy  practised  a  well  devised 
stratagem  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  general  Clay  and 
his  troops  from  their  fastness.  On  the  Sandusky  road, 
just  before  night,  a  heavy  firing  of  rifles  and  muskets 
was  heard :  the  Indian  yell  broke  upon  the  ear,  and 
the  savages  were  seen  attacking  with  great  impetuosity 
a  column  of  men,  who  were  soon  thrown  into  confu- 
sion; they,  however,  rallied,  and  in  turn  the  Indians 
gave  way.  The  idea  flew  through  the  fort  that  gene 
ral  Harrison  was  approaching  with  a  body  of  reinforce- 
ments ;  and  the  troops  under  general  Clay  seized  their 
anus,  and  with  nearly  all  the  officers  in  the  garrison, 
demanded  to  be  led  to  the  support  of  their  friends. 
General  Clay  was  unable  to  explain  the  firing,  but 
wisely  concluded,  from  the  information  received  in  the 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


185 


but 


morning  by  captain  M'Cune,  that  there  could  be  no 
reinforcements  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort.  He 
had  the  prudent  firmness  to  resist  the  earnest  importu- 
nity of  his  officers  and  men,  to  be  led  to  the  scene  of 
action.  The  enemy  finding  that  the  garrison  could  not 
be  drawn  out,  and  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  beginning  to 
fail,  terminated  their  sham-battle.  It  was  subsequently 
ascertained  that  this  was  a  stratagem,  devised  by  Te- 
cumseh,  for  the  purpose  of  decoying  out  a  part  of  the 
force  under  general  Clay,  which  was  to  have  been  at- 
tacked and  cut  off  by  the  Indians;  while  the  British 
troops  were  to  carry  the  fort  by  storm.  But  for  the 
opportune  arrival  of  the  express  in  the  morning  of  this 
day,  and  the  cool  judgment  of  the  commander,  there  is 
great  reason  to  suppose  that  this  admirably  planned 
manoeuvre  would  have  succeeded;  which  must  have 
resulted  in  the  total  destruction  of  the  garrison,  the 
combined  force  of  the  enemy,  then  investing  fort  Meigs, 
being  about  five  thousand  in  number,  while  the  troops 
under  general  Clay  were  but  a  few  hundred  strong. 
The  enemy  remained  around  the  fort  but  one  day  after 
the  failure  of  this  ingenious  stratagem,  and  on  the  28th 
embarked  with  their  stores,  and  proceeded  down  the 
lake. 

As  had  been  anticipated  by  general  Harrison,  imme- 
diately after  the  siege  was  raised,  the  British  troops 
sailed  round  into  Sandusky  bay,  while  a  portion  of  the 
Indians  marched  across  the  land,  to  aid  in  the  medi- 
tated attack  upon  fort  Stephenson,  at  lower  Sandusky. 
Tecumseh,  in  the  mean  time,  with  about  two  thousand 
warriors,  took  a  position  in  the  great  swamp,  between 
that  point  and  fort  Meigs,  ready  to  encounter  any  rein- 
forcement that  might  have  been  started  to  the  relief  of 
general  Clay,  to  fall  upon  the  camp  at  Seneca,  or  upon 
Upper  Sandusky,  according  to  circumstances.  The 
gallant  defence  of  fort  Stephenson  by  captain  Croghan, 
put  a  sudden  stop  to  the  offensive  operations  of  the 
army  under  Proctor  and  Tecumseh ;  and  very  shortly 
afterwards  transferred  the  scene  of  action  to  a  new 
theatre  on  the  Canada  shore,  where  these  commanders 
were,  in  turn,  thrown  upon  the  defensive. 

Immediately  after  the  signal  defeat  of  general  Proo 


!?. 


'I 


m 


1«Q 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


I 


tor  at  fort  Stephenson,  he  returned  with  the  British 
troops  to  Maiden  by  water,  while  Tecumseh  and  his 
^  followers  passed  over  land  round  the  head  of  lake  Erie 
and  joined  him  at  that  point.  At  this  time,  an  incident 
occurred  which  illustrates  the  character  of  Tecumseh, 
while  It  shows  the  contumely  with  which  he  was  ac- 
customed to  treat  general  Proctor,  who  did  not  dare  to 
disobey  him.  A  citizen  of  the  United  States,  captain 
Le  Croix,  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Proctor,  and 
was  secreted  on  board  one  of  the  British  vessels,  until 
he  could  be  sent  down  to  Montreal.  Tecumseh  had  a 
particular  regard  for  captain  Le  Croix,  and  suspected 
that  he  had  been  captured.  He  called  upon  general 
Proctor,  and  in  a  peremptory  manner  demanded  if  he 
knew  any  thing  of  his  friend.  He  even  ordered  the 
British  general  to  tell  him  the  truth,  addmg, « If  I  ever 
detect  you  in  a  falsehood,  I,  with  my  Indians,  will  im- 
mediately abandon  you."  The  general  was  obliged  to 
acknowledge  that  Le  Croix  was  in  confinement.  Te- 
cumseh, in  a  very  imperious  tone,  insisted  upon  his 
immediate  release.  General  Proctor  wrote  a  line  stat- 
ing, that  the  "king  of  the  woods"  desired  the  release 
of  captain  Le  Croix,  and  that  he  must  be  set  at  liberty ; 
which  was  done  without  delay."* 
^  Discouraged  by  the  want  of  success,  and  having  lost 
all  confidence  in  general  Proctor,  Tecumseh  now  se- 
riously meditated  a  withdrawal  from  the  contest.  He 
assembled  the  Shawanoes,  Wyandots  and  Ottawas,  who 
were  under  his  command,  and  de.  red  his  intention  to 
them.  He  told  them,  that  at  the  time  they  took  up  the 
tomahawk  and  agreed  to  join  their  father,  the  king, 
they  were  promised  plenty  of  white  men  to  fight  with 
them ;  "  but  the  number  is  not  now  greater,"  said  he, 
« than  at  the  commencement  of  the  war ;  and  we  are 
treated  by  them  like  the  dogs  of  snipe  hunters ;  we  are 
always  sent  ahead  to  start  the  game :  it  is  better  ^hat 
we  should  return  to  our  country,  and  let  the  Americans 
come  on  and  fight  the  British."  To  this  proposition 
his  followers  agreed;  but  the  Sioux  and  Chippewas, 
discovering  his  intention,  went  to  him  and  insisted^  that 


«  Aklen  Collecticm. 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


187 


inasmuch  as  he  had  first  united  with  the  British,  and 
had  been  instrumental  in  bringing  their  tribes  nito  the 
alhance,  he  ought  not  to  leave  them ;  and  through  their 
influence  he  was  finally  induced  to  remain.* 

Tecuniseh  was  on  the  island  of  Bois  Blanc,  in  the 
Detroit  river,  when  commodore  Perry  made  the  first 
display  of  his  fleet  before  Maiden.  He  appeared  much 
pleased  at  the  appearance  of  these  vessels,  and  assured 
the  Indians  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  that  the  Brit- 
ish fleet  would  soon  destroy  them.  The  Indians  hast- 
ened to  the  shore  to  witness  the  contest,  but  the  harbour 
of  Maiden  presented  no  evidence  that  commodore  Bar 
clay  intended  to  meet  the  American  commander.  Te 
cumseh  launched  his  canoe,  and  crossed  over  to  Maiden 
to  make  enquiries  on  the  subject.  He  called  on  general 
Proctor,  and  adverting  to  the  apparent  unwillingnes? 
of  commodore  Barclay  to  attack  the  American  fleet,  he 
said  "a  few  days  since,  you  were  boasting  that  you 
commanded  the  waters — why  do  you  r:  go  out  and 
meet  the  Americans  ?  See  yonder,  they  are  waiting  for 
you,  and  daring  you  to  meet  them :  you  must  and  shall 
send  out  your  fleet  and  fight  them."  Upon  his  return 
to  the  island,  he  stated  to  the  Indians,  with  apparent 
chagrin,  that  "  the  big  canoes  of  their  great  father  were 
not  yet  ready,  and  that  the  destruction  of  the  Ameri- 
cans must  be  delayed  for  a  few  days."t 

When  the  battle  was  finally  fought,  it  was  witnessed 
by  the  Indians  from  the  shore.  On  the  day  succeeding 
the  engagement,  general  Proctor  said  to  Tecumseh, 
"  my  fleet  has  whipped  the  Americans,  but  the  vessels 
being  much  injured,  have  gone  into  Put-in  Bay  to  refit, 
and  v/ill  be  here  in  a  few  days."  This  deception,  how- 
ever, upon  the  Indians,  was  not  of  long  duration.  The 
sagacious  eye  of  Tecumseh  soon  perceived  indications 
of  a  retreat  from  Maiden,  and  he  promptly  enquired 
into  the  matter.  General  Proctor  informed  him  that 
he  was  only  going  to  send  their  valuable  property  up 
the  Thames,  where  it  would  meet  a  reinforcement, 
and  be  safe.  Tecumseh,  however,  was  not  to  be  de- 
ceived by  this  shallow  device ;  and  remonstrated  most 


i:   I 


I      f 


1   '^i 


Anthony  Shane. 


fund. 


Br' 


,1 


188 


LIFE   OP   TECUMSBH. 


11 


u 


I 


urgently  against  a  retreat.  He  finally  demanded,  in 
the  name  of  all  the  Indians  under  his  command,  to  be 
heard  by  the  general,  and,  on  the  18th  of  September, 
delivered  to  him,  as  the  representative  of  their  great 
father,  the  king,  the  following  speech : 

«  Father,  listen  to  your  children!  you  have  them  now 
all  before  you. 

"The  war  before  this,  our  British  father  gave  thfc 
hatchet  to  his  red  children,  when  our  old  chiefs  were 
alive.  They  are  now  dead.  In  that  war  our  father  was 
thrown  on  his  back  by  the  Americans ;  and  our  father 
took  them  by  the  hand  without  our  knowledge ;  and  we 
are  afraid  that  our  father  will  do  so  again  at  this  time. 

«  Summer  before  last,  when  I  came  forward  with  my 
red  brethren  and  was  ready  to  take  up  the  hatchet  in 
favor  of  our  British  father,  we  were  told  not  to  be  in 
^  hurry,  that  he  had  not  yet  determinsd  to  fight  the 
Americans. 

«  Listen !  when  war  was  declared,  our  father  stood 
tip  and  gave  us  the  tomahawk,  and  told  us  that  he  was 
then  ready  lo  strike  the  Americans;  that  he  wanted 
bur  assistance,  and  that  he  would  certainly  get  our  lands 
back,  which  the  Americans  had  taken  from  us. 

«  Listen !  you  told  us  at  that  time,  to  bring  forward 
Our  families  to  this  place,  and  We  did  so;  and  you 
J)romised  to  take  care  of  them,  and  they  should  want 
for  nothing,  while  the  men  would  go  and  fight  the 
enemy  ;  that  we  need  not  trouble  ourselves  about  the 
enemy's  garrisons ;  that  we  knew  nothing  about  them, 
and  that  our  father  would  attend  to  that  part  of  the 
business.  You  also  told  your  red  children  that  you 
would  take  good  care  of  your  garrison  here,  which 
made  our  hearts  glad. 

«  Listen  !  when  we  were  last  at  the  Rapids,  it  is  true 
we  gave  you  little  assistance.  It  is  hard  to  fight  people 
who  live  like  ground-hogs. 

«  Father,  listen !  our  fleet  has  gone  out ;  we  know 
they  have  fought ;  we  have  heard  the  great  guns ;  but 
we  know  nothing  of  what  has  happenec"  to  our  father 
with  one  arm.*     Our  ships  have  gone  one  way,  and 


•  Commodore  Baretey,  who  had  loat  an  turn  in  soma  previoua  battle. 


'.  \' 


LITE   OP   TECUMSEH. 


ltd 


we  are  much  astonished  to  see  our  father  tyini?  up  ev«- 
vy  thing  and  preparing  to  run  away  the  other^  without 
^tting  his  red  children  know  what  his  intentions  are. 
You  always  told  us  to  remain  here  and  take  care  of 
our  lands ;  it  made  our  hearts  glad  to  hear  that  was 
your  wish.  Our  great  father,  the  king,  is  the  head, 
and  you  represent  him.  You  always  told  us  you  would 
never  draw  your  foot  off  British  ground ;  but  now, 
father,  we  see  that  you  are  ckawing  back,  and  we  are 
sorry  to  see  our  father  doing  so  without  seeing  the 
enemy.  We  must  compare  our  father's  conduct  to  a 
fat  dog,  that  carries  his  tail  on  its  back,  but  when  fcf* 
frighted,  drops  it  between  its  legs  and  runs  off. 

"  Father,  listen!  the  Americans  have  not  yet  defeat- 
ed us  by  land ;  neither  are  we  sure  that  they  have  done 
so  by  water;  we,  therefore,  wish  to  remain  here  and 
Jight  our  enemy,  should  they  make  their  appearance. 
If  they  defeat  us,  we  will  then  retreat  with  our  father. 
"  At^he  battle  of  the  Rapids,  last  war,  the  American! 
certainly  defeated  us ;  and  when  we  returned  to  our 
father's  fort  at  that  place,  the  gates  were  shut  against 
us.  We  were  afraid  that  it  would  now  be  the  case ; 
but  instead  of  that,  we  now  see  our  British  father  pre- 
paring  to  march  out  of  his  garrison.  u  . 

«  Father,  you  have  got  the  arms  and  ammunition 
which  our  great  father  sent  for  his  red  children.  If  you 
nave  an  idea  of  going  away,  give  them  to  us,  and  you 
may  go  and  welcome,  for  us.  Our  lives  are  in  the 
aands  of  the  Great  Spirit.  We  are  determined  to  de- 
fend  our  lands,  and  if  it  be  his  will,  we  wish  to  leave 
our  bones  upon  them." 

General  Proctor,  in  disregarding  the  advice  of  Te- 
cumseh,  lost  his  only  opportunity  of  making  an  effec- 
tive resistance  to  the  American  army.  Had  the  troops 
under  general  Harrison  been  attacked  by  the  British 
and  Indians  at  the  moment  of  their  landing  On  the 
Canada  shore,  the  result  might  have  been  far  different 
from  that  which  was  shortly  afterwards  witnessed  on 
the  banks  of  the  Thames.  Of  the  authenticity  of  this 
able  speech,  there  is  no  doubt.  It  has  been  the  cause 
of  some  surprise  that  it  should  have  been  preserved  by 

general  Proctor,  and  trartfilated  intn  "Rno-lish-  #»«n*»rtiiiiiir 

—  — ^ — ,  ^_^.>„_^..j 


^1^1 


■'I 


f); 


1  ., 


■ 


t#0 


Liri!    OP    TECUMSEH. 


as  it  speaks  of  the  commander  of  the  allied  army  m 
terms  the  most  disrespectful.  We  are  enabled  to  state, 
on  the  authority  of  John  Chambers,  Esq.  of  Washing- 
ton, Kentucky,  who  was  one  of  the  aids  of  general 
Harrison  in  the  campaign  of  1813,  that  the  speech  as 
given  above,  is  truly  translated  ;  and  was  actually  de- 
delivered  to  general  Proctor  under  the  circumstances 
above  related.  When  the  battle  of  the  Thames  had 
been  fought,  the  British  commander  sought  safety  in 
flight.  He  was  pursued  by  colonels  Wood,  Chambers, 
and  Todd,  and  three  or  four  privates.  He  escaped, 
but  his  baggage  was  captured.  Colonel  Chambers  was 
present  when  his  port-folio  was  opened,  and  among 
the  papers,  a  translation  of  this  speech  was  found.  In 
remarking  upon  the  fact  subsequently,  to  some  of  the 
British  officers,  they  stated  to  colonel  Chambers  th6,t 
the  speech  was  undoubtedly  genuine  ;  and  that  general 
Proctor  had  ordered  it  to  be  translated  and  exhibited  to 
his  officers,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  them  t)|^  inso- 
lence with  which  he  was  treated  by  Tecumseh,  and 
the  necessity  he  was  under  of  submitting  to  every  spe- 
cies of  indignity  from  him,  to  prevent  that  chief  from 
withdrawing  his  forces  from  the  contest  or  turning  his 
army  against  the  British  troops. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Retreat  of  the  combined  British  and  Indian  army  to  the  river  Thames— 
skirmish  at  Chatham  with  the  troops  under  general  Harrison — ^Tecum 
seh  slightly  wounded  in  the  arm— battle  on  the  Thames  on  the  5th  of 
October — ^Tecumseh's  death. 

Shobtlv  after  the  delivery  of  the  speech  quoted  in 
the  foregoing  chapter,  a  considerable  body  of  Indians 
abandoned  general  Proctor,  and  crossed  the  strait  to 
the  Americaa  shore.  Tecumseh  himself  again  mani- 
fested a  disposition  to  take  his  final  leave  of  the  British 
service.  Embittered  by  the  perfidy  of  Proctor,  his  men 
suffering  from  want  of  clothes  and  provisions,  with  the 
prospect  of  a  disgraceful  flight  bcfora  them,  ho  was 


■ 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


191 


Strongly  inclined  to  withdraw  with  his  followers  •  and 
leave  the  American  general  to  chastise  in  a  summarv 
manner  those  who  had  so  repeatedly  deceived  him 
and  his  Indian  lollowers.  The  Sioux  and  Chippewas 
however,  again  objected  to  this  course.  7%ey  could 
not,  they  said,  withdraw,  and  there  was  no  other  leader 
but  lecumseh,  in  whom  they  placed  confidence:  they 
insisted  that  he  was  the  person  who  had  originally  in- 
duced them  to  join  the  British,  and  that  he  ought  not 
to  desert  them  in  the  present  extremity.  Tecumseh,  n 
r?yj^^"^^  remonstrance  emarked,  that  the  battle- 
held  had  no  terrors  for  him ;  he  feared  not  death,  and 
It  they  insisted  upon  it,  he  would  remain  with  them. 

treneral  Proctor  now  proposed  to  the  Indians  to  re-  i 
move  their  women  and  children  to  McGee's,  opposite 
the  river  Rouge,  where  they  would  be  furnished  with 
their  winter's  clothing  and  the  necessary  supplies  of 
tood.  To  this  proposition,  Tecumseh  yielded  a  reluc- 
tant assent ;  doubting,  as  he  did,  the  truth  of  the  state- 
ment. When  they  were  about  to  start,  he  observed  to 
young  Jim  Blue-Jacket,  «we  are  now  going  to  follow 
the  British,  and  I  feel  well  assured,  tnat  we  shall  nev- 
er return."  When  they  arrived  at  McGee's,  Tecumseh 
u  "i  1.  *"®*'®  ^®^®  ^^  stores  provided  for  them,  as 
had  been  represented.  Proctor  made  excuses;  and 
again  pledged  himself  to  the  Indians,  that  if  they  would 
go  with  him  to  the  Thames,  they  would  there  find  an 
abundance  of  every  thing  needful  to  supply  their 
wants ;  besides  a  reinforcement  of  British  troops,  and  a 
lort  ready  for  their  reception.* 

The  retreat  was  continued  towards  the  Thames     On  ^ 
the  second  of  October,  when  the  army  had  reached 
Balson's  farm.  Proctor  and  Tecumseh,  attended  by  a 

^"ff  i^^u^'^/'^®'"^"^^  ^^  examine  the  ground  at  a  place 
called  Chatham,  where  a  deep,  unfordable  creek  falls 
into  the  Thames.  They  were  riding  together  in  a  giff, 
and  after  making  the  necessary  examination,  the  ground 
was  approved  of;  and  general  Proctor  remarked,  upon 
that  spot  they  would  either  defeat  general  Harrison  of 
there  lay  their  bones.    With  this  determination  Tecum- 


:  ■■?! 


■■■■» 


n: 


ill 


Anthony  Shane. 


IM 


LIFE   OF   TECUM8EH. 


seh  was  highly  pleased,  and  said, « it  was  a  good  place, 
and  when  he  should  look  at  the  two  streams,  they 
would  remind  him  of  the  Wabash  and  the  Tippecanoe." 

^  Perhaps  no  better  position  could  have  been  chosen  for 
meeting  the  American  army  than  this  place  presented. 
The  allied  force  of  British  and  Indians,  had  they  madt 
a  stand  upon  it,  would  have  been  protected  in  front  by 
a  deep  unfordable  stream,  while  their  right  flank  would 
have  been  covered  by  the  Thames,  and  their  left  by  a 
swamp.  But  general  Proctor  changed  his  mind ;  and 
leaving  Tecumseh  with  a  body  of  Indians  to  defend 
the  passage  of  the  stream,  moved  forward  with  the 
main  army.     Tecumseh  made  a  prompt  and  judicious 

•  arrangement  of  his  forces ;  but  it  is  said  that  his  Indi- 
ans, in  the  skirmish  which  ensued,  did  not  sustain  their 
previous  reputation  as  warriors.  It  is  probable,  how* 
ever,  that  their  leader  did  not  intend  to  make  any  deci 
ded  resistance  to  the  American  troops  at  this  point,  not 
being  willing  that  general  Proctor  and  his  army  should 
escape  a  meeting  with  the  enemy.  In  this  action  Te- 
cumseh was  slightly  wounded  in  the  arm  by  a  ball 
General  Harrison,  in  his  official  report  of  this  affair 

says :  ^  ., 

"Below  a  place  called  Chatham,  and  four  milee 
above  Dalson's,  is  the  third  unfordable  branch  of  the 
Thames :  the  bridge  over  its  mouth  had  been  taken  up 
by  the  Indians,  as  well  as  that  at  M'Gregor's  mills, 
one  mile  above— several  hundred  of  the  Indians  re- 
mained to  dispute  our  passage,  and  upon  the  arrival  of 
the  advanced  guard,  commenced  a  heavy  fire  from  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  creek,  as  well  as  that  of  the  river 
Believing  that  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy  was  there, 
I  halted  the  army,  formed  in  order  of  battle,  and  brought 
up  our  two  six  pounders,  to  cover  the  party  that  were 
ordered  to  repair  the  bridge.  A  few  shot  from  these 
pieces  soon  drove  off  the  Indians,  and  enabled  us  in 
two  hours  to  repair  the  bridge  and  cross  the  troops. 
Colonel  Johnson's  mounted  regiment  being  upon  the 
right  of  the  army,  had  seized  the  remains  of  the  bridge 
at  the  mills,  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Indians. 
Our  loss  upon  this  occasion  was  two  killed,  and  three 
or  four  wounded ;  that  of  the  enemy  was  ascertained 


place, 
1,  they 
anoe.** 
sen  for 
Bented. 
'  madt 
ont  by 
would 
:t  by  a 
i;  and 
defend 
ith  the 
dicious 
s  Indi- 
in  their 
!,  how- 
ly  deci 
int,  not 
should 
ion  Te- 
a  ball 
I  affair 

r  mile? 
L  of  the 
tken  up 
s  mills, 
ians  re- 
rival  of 
mm  the 
le  river 
LS  there, 
brought 
at  were 
m  these 
d  us  in 
troops, 
pon  the 
e  bridge 
Indians, 
id  three 
ertained 


I 


1 

1 

;:(f-i 


• 

* 

tot 

con 

bee 

and 

'i 

nea 

the 

no 

V, 

tior 

llf«  or  TertTivrflFiR. 


193 


to  be  ooiwideiably  greater.  A  house  near  the  bridge, 
containing  a  v°ry  considerable  number  of  muskets,  had 
been  set  on  lire;  but  it  was  extinguished  by'our  troops 
and  the  arms  saved/' 

Tecumseli  and  his  party  overtook  the  main  army- 
near  the  Moravian  towns,  situated  on  the  north  side  of  ' 
the  Thames.  Here  ho  resolved  that  he  would  retreat 
no  further ;  and  the  ground  being  favorable  for  form- 
ing the  line  of  battle,  he  communicated  his  determina- 
tion to  general  Proctor,  and  compelled  him,  as  there  is 
every  reason  for  believing,  to  put  an  end  to  his  retreat, 
and  prepare  for  meeting  the  pursuing  army.  '  After  the 
Indians  were  posted  in  the  swamp,  in  the  position  oc- 
cupied by  them  during  the  battle,  Tecumseh  remarked 
to  the  chiefs  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  "brother 
warriors!  we  are  now  about  to  enter  into  an  engage- 
ment from  wliicli  I  shall  never  come  out — my  body 
will  remain  on  the  field  of  battle.*'  He  then  unbuck- 
led his  sword,  and  placing  it  in  the  hands  of  one  of 
them,  said,  «  when  my  son  becomes  a  noted  warrior, 
and  able  to  wield  a  sword,  give  this  to  him."  He  then 
laid  aside  his  British  military  dress,  and  took  his  place 
in  the  line,  clothed  only  in  the  ordinary  deer-skin  hunt 
ing  shirt.* 

♦  i  Tlie  position  selected  by  the  enemy  was  eminently 
judicious.  The  British  troops,  amounting  to  eight  or 
nine  hundred,  were  posted  with  their  left  upon  the  riv- 
er, which  was  inifordable  at  that  point;  their  right 
extended  to  and  across  a  swamp,  and  unitdtt  them 
with  the  Indians,  under  Tecumseh,  amounting  to  near 
eighteen  hundred.  The  British  artillery  was  placed  in 
the  road  along  the  margin  of  the  river,  near  to  the  left 
of  their  line.  At  (rom  two  to  three  hundred  yards  from 
the  river,  a  swamp  extends  nearly  parallel  to  it,  the  in- 
termediate ground  being  dry.  This  position  of  the 
enemy,  with  his  flank  protected  on  the  left  by  the  river 
and  on  the  right  by  the  swamp,  filled  with  Indians, 
being  such  as  to  prevent  the  wings  from  being  turned, 
general  Harrison  made  arrangements  to  concentrate  his 
forces  against  the  British  line.   The  first  division,  under 


*  Anthony  Shane,  and  colonel  Baubee  of  the  British  army. 

R 


194 


L\rE    OF   TECUM9EH. 


;■ 


^    •'- 


•     4       ;'•     ■ 


:;■■>-' 


major  general  Henry,  was  formed  in  three  lines  at  one 
hundred  yards  from  each  other ;  the  front  Une  consist- 
ing of  Trotter's  brigade,  the  second  of  Chiles',  and  the 
reserve  of  King's  brigade.     These  lines  wrre  in  front 
of,  and  parallel  to,  the  British  troops.    The  second  di- 
vision, under  majo;  general  Desha,  composed  of  Allen's 
and  Caldwell's  brigades,  was  formed  en  potence,  or  at 
right  angles  to  the  first  division.    Governor  Shelby,  as 
senior  major  general  of  the  Kentucky  troops,  was  post- 
ed at  this  crotchet,  formed  between  the  first  and  second 
divisions.     Colonel  Simrall's  regiment  of  light  infantry 
was  formed  in  reserve,  obliquely  to  the  first  division, 
and  covering  the  rear  of  the  front  division ;  and,  after 
much  reflection  as  to  the  disnosition  to  be  made  of  colo- 
nel Johnson's  mounted  troops,  they  were  directed,  as 
soon  as  the  front  line  advanced,  to  take  ground  to  the 
left,  and  forming  upon  that  flank,  to  endeavor  to  turn 
the  right  of  the   Indians.     A  detachment  of  regular 
troops,  of  the  26th  United  States  infantry,  under  colo- 
nel Paul,  occupied  the  space  between  the  road  and  the 
river,  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  the  enemy's  artillery' ; 
and,  simultfmeously  with  this  movement,  forty  friendly 
Indians  were  to  pass  under  the  bank  of  the  stream  to 
the  rear  of  the  British  line,  and  by  their  fire  and  war- 
cry,  induce  the  enemy  to  think  their  own  Indians  were 
turning  against  them.    At  the  same  time^  colonel  Wood 
had  been  instructed  to  make  preparations  for  using  the 
enemy's  artillery,  and  to  rake  their  own  line  by  a  flank 
fire.     By  refusing  the  left  or  second  division,  the  Indi- 
ans were  kept  in  the  air,  that  is,  in  a  position  in  which 
they  would  be  useless.     It  will  be  seen,  as  the  com 
niander  anticipated,  that  they  waited  in  their  position 
the  advance  of  the  second  division,^ while  the  British 
left  was  contending  with  the  American  right.    John 
son's  corps  consisted  of  nine  hundred  men,  and  tht 
five  brigades  under  governor  Shelby  amounted  to  neai 
eighteen  hundred,  in  all,  not  exceeding  two  thousand 
seven  hundred  men. 

In  the  midst  of  these  arrangements,  and  just  as  th( 
Older  was  about  to  be  given  to  the  front  line  to  ad- 
vance, at  the  head  of  which  general  Harrison  had  pla 
ced  himself  with  his  staff,  colonel  Wood  approaches 


^  "^m 


I 


IIPE    OP   TECUMSKH. 


195 


him  with  inteJhgence,  that  having  reconnoitered  the 
enemy,  he  had  ascertained  thtj  singular  fact,  that  the 
British  hnos.  instead  of  the  usual  close  order,  were 
drawn  up  at  open  order.  This  fact  at  once  induced 
general  Harrison  to  adopt  the  novel  expedient  of  charg- 
ing the  British  lines  with  Johnson's  mounted  regiment. 
«I  was  within  a  few  feet  of  him,"  says  the  gallant  col- 
onel John  O'Fallon, »«  when  the  report  of  colonel  Wood 
was  made,  and  he  instantly  remarked,  that  he  would 
make  a  novel  movement  by  ordering  colonel  Johnson's 
mounted  regiment  to  charge  the  British  line  of  regulars, 
which,  thus  drawn  up,  contrary  to  the  habits  and  usa- 
ges of  that  description  of  troops,  always  accustomed  to 
the  touch,  could  be  easily  penetrated  and  thrown  into 
confusion,  by  a  spirited  charge  of  col6nel  Johnson's 
regiment."  This  determination  was  presently  made 
known  to  the  colonel,  who  was  directed  to  draw  up 
his  regimsnt  in  close  column,  with  its  right  fifty  yards 
from  the  road— that  it  might  be  partially  protected  by 
the  trees  from  the  artillery — its  left  upon  the  swamp, 
and  to  charge  at  full  speed  upon  the  enemy. 

At  this  juncture,  general  Harrison,  with  his  aids-de- 
camp, attended  likewise  by  general  Cass  and  commo- 
dore Perry,  advanced  from  the  right  of  the  front  line  of 
infantry,  to  the  right  of  the  front  column  of  mounted 
troops,  led  by  colonel  James  Johnson.  The  general, 
personally,  gave  the  direction  for  the  charge  to  be 
made.  «  When  the  right  battalion  of  the  mounted  men 
received  the  first  fire  of  the  British,  the  horses  in  the  front 
column  recoiled ;  another  fire  was  given  by  the  enemy, 
but  or  3olumn  getting  in  motion,  broke  through  the 
ener  *vith  irresistible  force.  In  one  minute  the  con- 
test v  as  over.  The  British  officers  seeing  no  prospect 
of  reducing  their  disordered  ranks  to  order,  and  seeing 
the  advance  of  the  infantry,  and  our  mounted  men 
wheeling  upon  them  and  pouring  in  a  destructive  fire, 
immediately  surrendered."* 

Colonel  Richard  M.  Johnson,  by  the  extension  of  his 
line,  was  brought  in  contact  with  the  Indians,  upon 
whom  he  gallantly  charged,  but  was  unfortunately  se- 


!(i 


J'tSi'.ii'l 


xn 


.n 


*  Official  Despatch. 


196 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


verely  wounded  by  the  first  fire  of  the  enemy,  and  was 
immediat(}|y  taken  off  the  field,  not,  however,  it  has 
been  stated,  until  he  had  despatcl  rid  an  Indian  by  a 
pistol  shot.  The  fire  of  the  Indians  naving  made  some 
impression  upon  Johnson's  tnen,  and  upon  the  left  of 
Trotter's  brigade,  general  Harrison  despatched  an  order 
to  governor  Shelby  to  bring  up  Simrall's  regiment  to 
reinforce  the  point  pressed  by  the  Indians;  and  then 
the  general  passed  to  the  left,  to  superintend  the  opera- 
tions in  that  quarter.  The  governor,  however,  had 
anticipated  the  wishes  of  his  commander,  being  in  the 
act  of  leading  up  the  regiment,  when  the  order  reached 
him.  He  and  the  general  met  near  the  crochet,  where 
after  a  severe  contest  of  several  minutes,  the  battle 
finally  ceased. "  The  particulars  of  the  charge  made  by 
colonel  Johnson  on  the  Indians,  are  thus  given  by  an 
intelligent  officer*  of  his  corps.  In  a  letter  to  the  late 
governor  Wickliffe  of  Kentucky,  under  date  of  Frank- 
fort, September  7,  1840,  he  says: 

"I  was  at  the  head  or  right  of  my  company,  on 
horseback,  waiting  orders,  at  about  fifty  or  sixty  yards 
from  the  line  of  the  enemy.  Colonel  Johnson  rode  u^ 
and  explained  to  me  the  mode  of  attack,  and  said  m 
substance,  ^^  captain  Davidson,  I  am  directed  by  gep  iral 
Harrison  to  charge  and  break  through  the  Indian  line, 
and  form  in  the  rear.  My  brother  James  will  charge 
in  like  manner  through  the  British  line  at  the  same 
time.  The  sound  of  the  trumpet  will  be  the  signal  for 
the  charge."  In  a  few  minutes  the  trumpet  sounded, 
and  the  word  "charge"  was  given  by  colonel  Johnson. 
The  colonel  charged  within  a  few  paces  of  me.  We 
struck  the  Indian  line  obliquely,  and  when  we  approach- 
ed within  ten  r  fifteen  yards  of  their  line,  the  Indians 
poured  in  a  heavy  fire  upon  us,  killing  ten  or  fifteen  of 
our  men  and  several  horses,  and  wounded  colonel  John- 
son very  severely.  He  immediately  retired.  Doctor 
Theobald,  of  Lexington,  (I  think)  aided  him  off." 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  in  this  battle  was  about 
twenty  killed  and  between  thirty  and  forty  wounded. 
The  British  had  eighteen  killed  and  twenty-six  wound- 


*  Captain  James  Davidson,  of  Kentucky. — See  Cincinnati  Republican. 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


197 


ed.  The  Indians  left  on  the  ground  between  fifty  and 
sixty  killed ;  and,  estimating  the  usual  proportion  for 
the  wounded,  it  was  probably  more  than  double  that 
number. 

The  British  official  account  of  this  action  is  not  be- 
fore us.  In  a  general  order  under  date  of  Montreal,  J 
November  21,  1813,  the  adjutant  general  of  the  Eng- 
lish forces,  bears  testimony  to  the  good  conduct  of  the 
Indian  warriors,  who  gallantly  maintained  the  conflict 
under  the  brave  chief  Tecumseh.  This  tribute  to  the 
Indians  and  their  leader  is  well  merited.  Had  general 
Proctor  and  his  troops  fought  with  the  same  valor  that 
marked  the  conduct  of  Tecumseh  and  his  men,  the  re- 
sults of  the  day  would  have  been  far  more  creditable 
to  the  British  arms.>lt  has  already  been  stated  that 
Tecumseh  entered  this  battle  with  a  strong  conviction 
on  his  mind  that  he  should  not  survive  it.  Further 
flight  he  deemed  disgraceful,  while  the  hope  of  victory 
in  the  impending  action,  was  feeble  and  distant.  He, 
however,  heroically  resolved  to  achieve  the  latter  or 
die  in  the  effort.  With  this  determination,  he  took  his 
stand  among  his  followers,  raised  the  war-cry  and  bold- 
ly met  the  enemy.  From  the  commencement  of  the 
attack  on  the  Indian  line,  his  voice  was  distinctly  heard 
by  his  followers,  animating  them  to  deeds  worthy  of 
the  race  to  which  they  belonged.  When  that  well 
known  voice  was  heard  no  longer  above  the  din  of 
arms,  the  battle  ceased.  The  British  troops  having  / 
already  surrendered,  and  the  gallant  leader  of  the  In- 
dians having  fallen,  they  gave  up  the  contest  and  fled. 
A  short  distance  from  where  Tecumseh  fell,  the  body 
of  his  friend  and  brother-in-law,  Wasegoboah,  was 
found.  They  had  often  fought  side  by  side,  and  now, 
in  front  of  their  men,  bravely  battling  the  enemy,  they 
side  by  side  closed  their  mortal  career.* 

James,  a  British  historian,t  in  his  account  of  the  bat- 
tle of  the  Thames,  makes  the  following  remarks  upon 
the  character  and  personal  appearance  of  Tecumseh. 

"  Thus  fell  the  Indian  warrior  Tecumseh,  in  the  44th  ^ 
year  of  his  age.    He  was  of  the  Shawanoe  tribe,  five 


*  Anthony  Shane.  f  Militar  v  ;  i^jcurrences  of  the  Late  War. 


'-'m 


R 


2 


1 98 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


feet  ten  inches  high,  and  with  more  than  the  usual 
stoutness,  possessed  all  the  agility  and  perseverance  of 
the  Indian  character.  His  carriage  was  dignified,  his 
eye  penetrating,  his  countenance,  which  even  in  death, 
betrayed  the  indications  of  a  lofty  spirit,  rather  of  the 
sterner  cast.  Had  he  not  possessed  a  certain  austerity 
of  manners,  he  could  never  have  controlled  the  way- 
ward passions  of  those  who  followed  him  to  battle. 
He  was  of  a  silent  habit ;  but  when  his  eloquence  be- 
came roused  into  action  by  the  reiterated  encroach- 
ments of  the  Americans,  his  strong  intellect  could  sup- 
.  ply  him  with  a  flow  of  oratory  that  enabled  him,  as  he 
governed  in  the  field,  so  to  prescribe  in  the  council. 
Those  who  consider  that  in  all  territorial  questions,  the 
ablest  diplomatists  of  the  United  States  are  sent  to 
negociate  with  the  Indians,  will  readily  appreciate  the 
loss  sustained  by  the  latter  in  the  death  of  their  cham- 
pion. *  *  *  *  Such  a  man  was  the  unlettered 
savage,  Tecumseh,  and  such  a  man  have  the  Indians 
lost  forever.  He  has  left  a  son,  who,  when  his  father 
fell,  was  about  seventeen  years  old,  and  fought  by  his 
side.  The  prince  regent,  in  1814,  out  of  respect  to  the 
memory  of  the  old,  sent  out  as  a  present  to  the  young, 
Tecumseh,  a  handsome  sword.  Unfortunately,  how- 
ever, for  the  Indian  cause  and  country,  faint  are  the 
prospects  that  Tecumseh  the  son,  will  ever  equal,  in 
X  wisdom  or  prowess,  Tecumseh  the  father." 
^  Mr.  James  (p.  295,)  asserts,  that  Tecumseh  was  not 
only  scalped,  but  that  his  body  was  actually  flayed,  and 
the  skin  converted  into  razor-straps  by  the  Kentuckians. 
We  fear  there  is  too  much  truth  in  this  statement.  It 
is  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  several  American 
officers  and  privates,  who  were  in  the  battle  of  the 
Thames.  It  is  painful  to  make  an  admission  of  this 
kind,  but  truth  forbids  the  suppression  of  a  fact,  when 
fairly  established,  however  revolting  to  the  feelings  of 
humanity,  or  degrading  to  a  people.  'I'hat  there  was 
any  general  participation  of  our  troops  in  this  inhuman 
and  revolting  deed,  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  suppos- 
ed. That  it  was  the  act  of  a  few  vulgar  and  brutish 
individuals,  is,  we  think,  just  as  certain,  as  that  the 
great  mass  of  the  army  were  shocked  at  its  perpetra- 


LIFE   OP    TECUMSEH. 


199 


e  usuul 
ance  of 
fied,  his 
n  death, 
f  of  the 
-usterity 
le  way- 
►  battle, 
nee  be- 
icroach- 
.ild  sup- 
n,  as  he 
council, 
ons,  the 
sent  to 
late  the 
r  cham- 
ilettered 
Indians 
s  father 
:  by  his 
;t  to  the 
young, 
Ti  how- 
are  the 
jual,  in 

vas  not 
led,  and 
ickians. 
ent.  It 
uerican 
of  the 
of  this 
t,  when 
ings  of 
3re  was 
ihuman 
suppos- 
brutish 
hat  the 
3rpetra- 


tion.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  names  of  the  per- 
sons who  committed  this  outrage  have  not  been  pre- 
served, that  their  conduct  on  this  occasion  might  have 
been  held  up  to  universal  condemnation. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


Critical  examination  of  the  question  "who  killed  Tecumaehl"— colonel 
R.  M.  Johnson's  claim  considered. 

Tecumseh  was  a  determined  and  subtle  enemy  of  "^ 
the  United  States,  and  during  the  palmy  days  of  his 
bold  career,  wielded  an  influence  over  the  north-west- 
ern Indians  which  belonged  to  no  other  chief.  His 
death  was  consequently  an  important  circumstance  in 
relation  to  the  peace  and  safety  of  the  frontiers.  But 
whether  he  fell  by  a  pistol  shot  from  a  field  officer,  or 
a  rifle  ball  from  a  private  soldier,  however  interesting 
as  a  matter  of  personal  history,  is  certainly  not  one  of 
national  importance.  Nevertheless,  the  question  by 
whose  hands  he  fell,  has  engaged  public  attention  to 
some  considerable  extent  ever  since  the  memorable 
battle  of  the  Thames.  Its  discussion  has  not  been  con- 
fined to  the  immediate  friends  of  the  several  aspirants 
for  the  honor  of  having  slain  this  distinguished  war- 
rior; it  has  enlivened  the  poKtical  canvass,  and  the 
halls  of  legislation ;  occupied  the  columns  of  journals 
and  magazines,  and  filled  no  inconsiderable  space  on 
the  pages  of  American  and  British  histories.  Under 
such  circumstances,  and  as  directly  connected  with  the 
present  biography,  a  fair  presentation  of  all  the  testi- 
mony bearing  on  the  case  will  now  be  attempted.  It 
may  at  least  gratify  the  public  curiosity,  if  it  do  not 
definitively  settle  the  long  penr'  ing  question  in  relation 
to  the  actual  slayer  of  T'ecumst  i. 

M'Afiee,  in  his  History  of  the  Late  War,  says,  Te- 
cumseh **  was  found  amonc  the  dead-  a.t  the  noint  v.''here 
colonel  Johnson  had  charged  upon  the  enemy,  in  per- 
son, and  it  is  generally  believed,  that  this  celebrated 


.  1' 


I 


200 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


chief  fell  by  the  hand  of  the  colonel.  It  is  certain  that 
the  latter  killed  the  Indian  with  his  pistol,  who  shot 
him  through  his  hand,  at  the  very  spot  where  Tecum- 
seh  lay ;  but  another  dead  body  lay  at  the  same  place, 
and  Mr.  King,  a  soldier  in  captain  Davidson's  compa- 
ny, had  the  honor  of  killing  one  of  them." 

Brown,  in  his  history  of  the  same  war,  says,  that 
"colonel  Johnson,  after  receiving  four  wounds,  per- 
ceived the  daring  Tecumseh  commanding  and  attempt- 
ing to  rally  his  savage  force ;  when  he  instantly  put  his 
horse  towards  him,  and  was  shot  by  Tecumseh  in  the 
hand,  as  he  approached  him.  Tecumseh  advanced 
with  a  drawn  weapon,  a  sword  or  tomahawk,  at  which 
instant  the  colonel,  having  reserved  his  fire,  shot  his 
ferocious  antagonist  dead  at  his  feet ;  and  that  too,  at 
the  moment  he  was  almost  fainting  with  the  loss  of 
blood  and  the  anguish  of  five  wounds." 

The  statement  of  Shawbeneh,  a  Potawatamie  chief, 
lately  pubhshed  in  the  "  Chicago  Democrat,"  goes  to 
prove  that  Tecumseh  was  wounded  in  the  neck ;  and 
telling  his  warriors  that  he  must  die,  rushed  forward  to 
kill  colonel  Johnson.  Shawbeneh  saw  him  fall,  having 
been  shot  by  the  colonel,  just  as  his  arm  had  reached 
the  necessary  height  to  strike  the  fatal  blow.  Shaw- 
beneh says  that  colonel  Johnson  was  riding  a  large 
white  horse,  with  occasionally  a  jet  black  spot.  He 
further  states  that  Tecumseh's  body  was  not  mutilated 
by  the  American  troops. 

The  testimony  of  another  Potawatamie  chief,  Cham- 
blee,  as  furnished  us  by  captain  Robert  Anderson,  of  the 
U.  S.  army,  is  to  this  effect  : 

He  saw  Tecumseh  engaged  in  a  personal  rencontre 
with  a  soldier  armed  with  a  musket;  that  the  latter 
made  a  thrust  at  the  chief,  who  caught  the  bayonet  un- 
der his  arm,  where  he  held  it,  and  was  in  the  act  of 
striking  his  opponent  with  his  tomahawk,  when  a 
horseman  rode  up,  and  shot  Tecumseh  dead  with  a 
pistol.  The  horseman  had  a  red  feather,  (pliune)  in 
his  hat,  and  was  mounted  on  a  spotted  or  red-roan 
horse ;  he  further  says,  that  he  saw  the  body  of  Tecum- 
seh a  day  or  two  after  the  battle,  and  that  it  was  not 
mutilated. 


I 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


201 


ail)  that 
ho  shot 
Tecum- 
e  place, 
compa- 

ys,  that 
is,  per- 
Lttempt- 
■  put  his 
h  in  the 
Ivauced 
t  which 
ihot  his 
too,  at 
loss  of 

e  chief, 
goes  to 
;k;  and 
ward  to 
having 
reached 
Shaw- 
a  large 
)t.  He 
utilated 

,  Cham- 
1,  of  the 

ncontre 
B  latter 
net  un- 
)  act  of 
vhen  a 
with  a 
ime)  in 
ed-roan 
Tecum - 
jvas  not 


In  a  work  entitled  «  History  of  the  Indian  Tribes  of 
JNorth  America,"  there  is  the  following  note : 

«  A  Potawatamie  chief  was  thus  questioned ;    Were 
you  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames  ?  Yes.    Did  you  know 
Tecumseh  ?    Yes.    Were  you  near  him  in  the  fight  ? 
Yes     Did  you  see  him  fall?    Yes.    Who  shot  him? 
Don  t  know.    Did  you  see  the  man  that  shot  him  ? 
®s-    Xiru    ^^^^  ^^  looking  man  was  he  ?     Short,  thick 
man.    What  color  was  the  horse  he  rode  ?    Most  white 
How  do  you  know  this  man  shot  Tecumseh  ?     I  saw 
the  man  ride  up-saw  his  horse  get  tangled  in  some 
bushes— when  the  horse  was  most  still,  I  saw  Tecum- 
seh  level  his  rifle  at  the  man  and  shoot— the  man 
shook  on  his  horse— soon  the  horse  got  out  of  the 
bushes,  and  the  man  spurred  him  up— horse  came  slow 
j-iecumsehright  before  him— man's  left  hand  hung 
down— just  as  he  got  near,  Tecumseh  lifted  his  toma- 
hawk  and  was  going  to  throw  it,  when  the  man  shot 
him  with  a  short  gun  (pistol)— Tecumseh  fell  dead  and 
we  all  ran." 

fi.^u\^^'Tl'^^b  ""^  K«"t»cky,  who  participated  in 
the  battle  of  the  Thames,  says  : 

"- —  The  men  by  this  time  had  collected  in  groups ; 
and  it  was  remarked  that  colonel  R.  M.  Johnson  was 
dead,  but  I  contradicted  the  report ;  also,  that  the  great 
Indian  commander,  Tecumseh,  was  slain;  I  asked  bv 
what  authority  ?  I  was  told  that  Anthony  Shane,  who 
had  known  him  from  a  small  boy,  said  so,  and  had 
seen  him  among  the  slain.  In  a  short  time  I  saw 
Shane  with  a  small  group  of  men,  walking  towards  a 
dead  Indian  ;  as  he  approached  the  body,  I  asked  him 
if  he  knew  that  Indian.  He  said  it  was,  in  his  opin- 
ion, Tecumseh;  but  he  could  tell. better  if  the  blood 
was  taken  from  his  face.  I  examined  the  Indian.  He 
was  shot  m  the  left  side  of  the  breast  with  several  balls 
or  buck  shot,  all  entering  near  and  above  the  left  nip- 
ple. There  was  also  a  wound  in  his  head,  too  small 
for  a  rifle  ball  to  make." 

Atwater,  in  his  History  of  Ohio,  remarks,  that  two 
Winnebago  chiefs,  Four-Lee^s  and   Darvmnnnpo    tr^u  ' 
nim,that  lecumsehj^at  the  commencement  of  the  battle 
of  the  Thames,  lay  with  his  warriors  in  a  thicket  of 


m 


fci 


u 


\if 


30$l 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


underbrush  on  the  left  of  the  American  army,  and  that 
they  were,  at  no  period  of  the  battle,  out  of  their  covert 
-—that  no  officer  was  seen  between  them  and  the  Amer- 
ican troops— that  Tecumseh  fell  the  very  first  fire  of 
the  Kentucky  dragoons,  pierced  by  thirty  bullets,  and 
was  carried  four  or  five  miles  into  the  thick  woods  and 
there  buried  by  the  warriors,  who  told  the  storv  of  his 
fate.  ' 

In  1838,  a  writer  in  the  Baltimore  American  pub- 
lished Black  Hawk's  account  of  the  fall  of  Tecumseh. 
It  is  as  follows : 

" Shortly  after  this,  the  Indian  spies  came  in 

and  gave  word  of  the  near  approach  of  the  Americans. 
Tecumseh  immediately  posted  his  men  in  the  edge  of  a 
swamp,  which  flanked  the  British  line,  placing  himself 
at  their  head.     I  was  a  little  to  his  right  with  a  small 
party  of  Sauks.     It  was  not  long  before  the  Americans 
made  their  appearance;  they  did  not  perceive  us  at 
first,  hid  as  we  were  by  the  undergrowth,  but  we  soon 
let  them  know  where  we  were,  by  pouring  in  one  or 
two  vollies  as  they  were  forming  into  line  to  oppose 
the  British.     They  faltered  a  little ;  but  very  soon  we 
perceived  a  large  body  of  horse  (colonel  Johnson's  re- 
giment of  mounted  Kentuckians)  preparing  to  charge 
upon  us  in  the  swamp.     They  came  bravely  on ;  yet 
we  never  stirred  until  they  were  so  close  that  we  could 
see  the  flints  in  their  guns,  when  Tecumseh,  spnnging 
to  his  feet,  gave  the  Shawanoe  war-cry,  and  discharged 
his  rifle.     This  was  the  signal  for  us  to  commence  the 
battle, but  it  did  not  last  long;  the  Americans  answered 
the  shout,  returning  oui  fire,  and  at  the  first  discharge 
of  their  guns,  I  saw  Tecumseh  stagger  forwards  over  a 
fallen  tree,  near  which  he  was  standing,  letting  his  rifle 
drop  at  his  feet.     As  soon  as  the  Indians  discovered 
that  he  was  killed,  a  sudden  fear  came  over  them,  and 
thinking  the  Great  Spirit  was  angry,  they  fought  no 
longer,  and  were  quickly  put  to  flight.     That  night  we 
returned  to  bury  our  dead ;  and  search  for  the  body  of 
.  Tecumseh.     He  was  found  lying  where  he  had  first 
fallen ;  a  bullet  had  struck  him  above  the  hip,  and  his 

•jfL^tzr    liwvi    L/VJT5I1    ui o-n.cn  tjy   Uic    Viill   eiiu  OI    1116  gUn  OI 

some  soldier,  who  had  found  him,  perhaps,  when  life 


and  that 
ir  covert 
e  Amer- 
;  fire  of 
lets,  and 
>ods  and 
y  of  his 

an  pub- 
cumseh. 

came  in 
lericans. 
dge  of  a 
himself 
a  small 
lericans 
e  us  at 
ive  soon 
one  or 
oppose 
loon  we 
3n's  re- 
charge 
on;  yet 
e  could 
•ringing 
charged 
nee  the 
iswered 
scharge 
;  over  a 
his  rifle 
covered 
sm,  and 
ight  no 
ght  we 
)ody  of 
id  first 
md  his 
gun  of 
len  liie 


UPB    OP   TECUMSEH.  g^g 

a  large  fine  lookfnJpm^w^^  ***■  'j""8  "«"■■  him  was 

Americans  i"o  doub^  Zd  toklnWr''  "k'T  "^« 
was  scalped  and  everv  n»r.^L.  /  ,  ■^1'='""^^'  'o'"  he 
body.  Tecumseh  hUip/  i  !  °^  *""  ^^y^''  ^om  his 
person,  ^ve  T  BrUrl  Jn''i'^  "o  ornaments  about  his 

buried'our  deadfSVou^htoff  ,h'°f  t'  ">'^''  ^« 
seh,  although  we  were  i?sih,  5.?%  "^''.'"^  ''""=""'- 
rican  camp  "  *"'  °^  ""e  fires  of  the  Ame- 

of  t^xL^m^et^Lr"'*  "''''  '^^-"''"■^  *«  hattle 

whoIe7onh^C.e^nf^^nTi:ro'fTunUersrj'^'"^ 
cumseh,  although  he  had  rlcefvld  a  ^uskeltall 'in  ?^" 
left  arm,  was  still  seeking  the  hottesfTf  Vhi  «         u'^ 

ne  encountered  colonel  EcLn)  Mr  i,       ^"''  '"*"'" 
of  consresi  fmm  iToV!    f  "="*™  ™-  Johnson,  member 

mlhJr"'t  ^'^  recognifed,  not  only  by  ft^ 
P^afd^erl^ZSntS?'  ^^  -— - 

bo?=£yt:i^ets=^'^  --  -'^^^  -0  ^^ 

from  fh^'l^'erfri^Udlh^S^^XntV  H^'^"- 

on'^th?  letwlni^ofr  T'^!'"  '^^"*'"S  the  advance  up- 
"■'  me  lett  wmg  of  the  Indians,  saw  an  Indian  cnm 

mander,  who  appeared  to  be  a  'rallying  potf  for  h"; 


II 


|1     ^li 


^i 


^11 


isii 


■'11 


f04 


LIFB   OF   TSCUMSEH. 


Pi 


I 


savage  companions,  and  whose  costume  indicatea  the 
superiority  of  his  rank ;  that  colonel  Johnson,  sitting 
upon  his  horse,  covered  with  wounds  and  very  faint 
with  the  loss  of  blood,  and  having  a  pistol  in  his  right 
hand  loaded  with  a  ball  and  three  buck-shot,  thought 
that  the  fate  of  the  battle  depended  upon  killing  this 
formidable  chief,  and  he  accordingly  rode  round  a  fallen 
tree  for  this  purpose ;  that  the  chief,  perceiving  his  ap- 
proach, levelled  his  rifle  and  shot  the  colonel  in  the  left 
hand ;  that  the  colonel  continued  to  advance  upon  hmi, 
and  at  the  moment  when  the  Indian  was  raising  his 
tomahawk,  shot  him  dead  with  his  pistol;  that  this 
deed  spread  consternation  among  the  savages,  and  with 
hideous  yells,  they  began  from  that  point  their  retreat ; 
that  as  soon  as  the  battle  ended,  the  Indian  killed  by 
colonel  Johnson  was  recognized  as  Tecumseh ;  and  be- 
fore the  colonel  had  so  far  recovered  from  the  effects  of 
his  wounds  as  to  be  able  to  speak,  word  ran  through 
the  army  that  he  had  killed  Tecumseh;  and  finally, 
that  a  medal  was  taken  from  the  body  which  was 
known  to  have  been  presented  to  this  chief  by  the 
British  government.  Mr.  Brown  further  states,  that  a 
conversation  which  he  had  with  Anthony  Shane,  some 
years  since,  strengthened  his  belief  that  Tecumseh  fell 
by  the  hand  of  colonel  Johnson ;  that  Shane  told  him 
he  went,  after  the  battle,  to  the  spot  where  it  was  re- 
ported the  colonel  had  killed  an  Indian,  and  there  he 
saw  the  dead  body  of  Tecumseh,  and  that  he  must 
have  been  killed  by  a  horseman,  as  a  ball  and  three 
buck-shot  had  entered  the  breast  and  passed  down- 
wards ;  that  he  could  not  be  mistaken  as  to  the  body 
of  Tecumseh,  as  he  had  a  remarkable  scar  upon  his 
thigh,  which,  upon  examination,  was  found  as  he  had 
described  it. 

By  recurring  to  the  foregoing  statements,  it  will  be 
seen  that  eight  Indians  have  borne  testimony  in  relation 
to  the  death  of  Tecumseh.  Of  these,  four  assert  that 
he  was  killed  by  the  first  fire  from  the  American  line ; 
and  four  that  he  fell  by  the  hands  of  a  horseman,  some 
time  after  the  commencement  of  the  action.  One  of 
these  witnesses  states  that  Tecumseh  was  shot  in  the 
neck ;  another,  that  he  was  hit  above  or  in  the  eyes ; 


I 


;eG  the 

sitting 
y  faint 
s  right 
hought 
ng  this 
a  fallen 
his  ap- 
the  left 
m  him, 
ing  his 
lat  this 
id  with 
retreat ; 
lied  by 
and  be- 
fects  of 
hrough 
finally, 
zh  was 
by  the 
,  that  a 
e,  some 
iseh  fell 
)ld  him 
was  re- 
lere  he 
e  must 
d  three 

down- 
le  body 
pon  his 

he  had 

will  be 
relation 
ert  that 
in  line; 
n,  some 
One  of 
;  in  the 
e  eyes; 


tIFE    OF    TECTJMSEH. 


205 


two  Others  that  he  was  killed  by  a  ball  in  the  hip  ;  and 
again  two  others,  that  he  was  pierced  by  thirty  bullets 
on  the  first  fire  of  our  troops.  Three  of  these  witness- 
es testify  that  the  body  of  the  fallen  chief  was  mutila- 
ted by  taking  the  skin  from  off  the  thigh,  and  three 
that  it  was  not.  One  of  them  saw  the  body  the  day 
after  the  action,  lying  on  the  battle  ground ;  a  second 
bears  witness  that  it  was  buried  on  the  spot  the  night 
of  the  battle ;  and  a  third,  that  it  was  carried  four  or 
five  miles  into  the  woods,  and  there  interred.  A  fur- 
ther examuiation  of  the  testimony  will  show  that  these 
eight  witnesses  concur  but  in  one  single  point, — that 
Tecumseh  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames.  As 
to  the  nature  of  his  wounds,  the  mutilation  of  his  body, 
the  time  when,  the  spot  where,  and  by  whose  hands,  he 
fell,  these  various  statements  are  wholly  irreconcilable 
with  each  other,  and  leave  the  main  question  involved 
in  additional  doubt  and  obscurity. 

As  the  claim  of  colonel  Johnson  to  the  honor 
of  having  killed  Tecumseh,  has  been  recently  and 
earnestly  urged  upon  the  public  consideration,  we 
propose,  even  at  the  risk  of  some  repetition,  to  ex- 
amine in  detail  the  testimony  which  bears  upon  this 
point. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  the  Potawatamie  chief, 
whose  narrative  is  quoted  from  the  "  History  of  the  In- 
dian Tribes  of  North  America,"  testifies  that  Tecumseh 
met  his  death  by  a  wound  above  or  in  the  eyes  ;  and, 
that  upon  his  fall  the  Indians  ran.  If  these  statements 
be  true,  Tecumseh  could  not  have  been  killed  by  colo- 
nel Johnson,  as  will  be  satisfactorily  established  in  the 
course  of  this  examination. 

Shawbeneh,  another  Potawatamie  chief,  states  that 
Tecumseh  was  mortally  wounded  in  the  neck,  before 
he  rushed  upon  the  individual  who  killed  him.  All 
the  other  witnesses,  except  one,  say  that  Tecumseh  re- 
mained stationary,  and  that  the  horseman  who  fired 
the  fatal  shot,  advanced  upon  him. 

Chamblee,  the  third  Potawatamie  who  testifies  in 
the  case,  states  that  Tecumseh  was  engaged  in  a  per- 
sonal conflict  with  a  soldier  armed  with  a  musket,  when 
a  horseman,  on  a  spotted  horse,  rode  up  and  shot  him 


ml 


r.:^: 


•;     I- 

*    r 
!-4* 


'■>St 


LIFE   OF   TECUMSER. 


ull 


/<? 


I  >\ 


dead  with  a  pistol.    I'his  account  is  not  sustained  by 
any  other  witness. 

Captain  M'Affee,  who  belonged  to  the  mounted  regi- 
ment, and  who  has  written  a  history  of  the  late  war, 
says,  it  is  generally/  believed  that  Tecumseh/ell  by  the 
hand  of  colonel  Johnson ;  but  the  historian  candidly 
admits  that  there  was  another  dead  Indian  at  the  spot 
where  Tecumseh  lay,  and  that  Mr.  King,  of  captain 
Davidson's  company,  killed  one  of  them.  It  may  be 
questioned  whether  there  is  or  ever  has  been  any  gen- 
eral beli^i — whatever  vague  reports  may  have  been 
circulated, — that  colonel  Johnson  killed  this  chief ;  but 
even  if  such  were  the  case,  it  does  not  by  any  means 
establish  the  allegation. 

Brown,  another  historian  of  the  late  war,  says,  in 
general  terms,  that  Tecumseh  advanced  upon  the  colo- 
nel with  a  sword  or  tomahawk,  and  that  the  colonel 
shot  him  dead.  Tecumseh  wore  no  sword  in  that  ac- 
tion, nor  did  he  advance  upon  colonel  Johnson.  Mr. 
Brown  cites  no  authorities  for  his  loose  and  general 
statements. 

Garrett  Wall  testifies  that  he  went  to  the  spot  where 
he  was  told  colonel  Johnson  had  fought,  and  there 
questioned  Anthony  Shane  about  the  dead  Indian  be- 
fore them.  Shane  remarked  that  he  could  tell  better 
whether  it  was  Tecumseh,  if  the  blood  was  washed 
from  the  face.  It  does  not  appear  that  this  was  done, 
nor  that  Shane  became  satisfied  as  to  the  identity  of 
the  dead  Indian.  Mr.  Wall  infers  that  Tecumseh  fell 
by  a  shot  from  colonel  Johnson,  because  it  was  so  re- 
ported, and  because  they  both  led  their  warriors  to  the 
charge,  and  the  desire  of  victory  brought  them  Xr  /.'ther. 
Mr.  Wall  cites  no  evidence  to  prove  that  the  borl-y  .A'or 
which  Shane  was  doubting,  fell  by  the  colone  r*  link 
in  the  chain  of  testimony,  altogether  important  in  mak- 
ing out  his  case. 

The  Rev.  Obediah  B.  Brown,  however,  at  Washing- 
ton, is  b>  f<y  ihe  most  precise  in  his  statements,  of  all 
the  wit".  ;rr^  B  t  it  is  proper,  before  entering  upon 
the  exarniftiruon  of  his  testimony,  to  state  that  he  was 
not  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames ;  and  that  his  letter,  in 
regard  to  Tecumseh 's  death,  was  written  in  1834,  more 


' 


in 


so  re- 
3  to  the 
srotVier. 

rjy  .'.v-\v 
—a  link 
,n  mak- 


LIFI!   OP   TSCUM9BH. 


t07 


than  twenty  years  after  the  action  was  fought  and 
upon  the  eve  of  a  political  campaign,  in  which  his 
inend,  colonel  Johnson,  was  an  aspirant  for  a  high  and 
honorable  office.  Mr.  Brown,  it  is  further  proper  to 
add,  derived  his  information  from  "several  persons." 
but  he  has  inadvertently  omitted  the  names  of  all  but 
one. 

He  commences  by  saying,  that  colonel  Johnson  saw 
an  Indian  known  to  be  a  chief  by  his  costume.    Now 
It  has  bpon  already  shown  that  Tecumseh  entered  the 
action  dressed  m  the  plain  deer-skin  garb  of  his  tribe, 
liavin^  nothing  about  him  which  would  indicate  his 
rank.     The  colonel  thought,  continues  Mr.  B.,  that  the 
late  of  the  day  depended  upon  the  fall  of  this  chief. 
Ihe  question  might  be  asked  whether  the   thoughts 
ot  colonel  Johnson,  at  this  particular  juncture,  became 
known  to  the  witness  by  a  logical  process  of  ratiocina- 
tion, or  by  a  direct  personal  communication  from  his 
distinguished  friend  ?    He  states  further,  that  the  colonel 
rode  up  within  a  few  feet  of  the  chief,  received  his  fire, 
and  then  shot  him  dead  with  his  pistol.     This  act,  says 
the  witness,  caused  the  savages  to  retreat  in  consterna- 
tion:  now,  the  fact  is  well  established,  that  the  Indians, 
at  this  very  point,  fought  bravely  for  twenty  or  twenty- 
fave  minutes  after  colonel  Johnson  was  compelled,  by 
his  wounds,  to  leave  the  scene  of  action:  it  is  further 
stated  by  Mr.  B.  that  before  the  colonel  was  so  far  re- 
covered from  his  wounds,  as  to  be  able  to  speak,  it  ran 

lxr'°,V^*^u  ^®  ^^^y  *^^'  ^®  ^^^  ki"«d  Tecumseh.  Mr. 
Wall,  who  was  in  the  action,  says,  that  after  colonel 
Johnson  had  retired  from  the  contest,  and  was  lifted 
from  his  horse, he  said  to  those  around  him,  "my  brave 
men,  the  battle  continues,  leave  me,  and  do  not  return 
until  you  bring  me  an  account  of  the  victory."  Thus 
it  would  seem  that  the  colonel,  within  a  few  minutes 
after  receiving  his  last  wound,  was  giving  orders  to  his 
men,  and  m  the  mean  time,  according  to  Mr.  B.,  "word 
ran  through  the  army  that  he  had  killed  Tecumseh." 
This  is  more  remarkable,  when  it  is  recollected,  that 
the  only  person,  except  the  commanding  general,  who 
could  identifv  the  fallpn  rhipf  wac  ApfV.r»n»r  c!k»v.o 
and  he  was  in  a  different  part  of  the  field,  (on  the  bank 


InR  j 


dod 


LIFE   OP   TECUMSEH. 


of  the  Thames)  and  did  not  visit  this  part  of  the  line 
until  the  action  was  entirely  over!    The  witness  fur- 
ther states,  that  no  other  chief  of  high  rank-was  killed 
in  this  part  of  the  line,  but  Tecumseh.     Anthony  Shane 
says  that  Tecumseh's  brother-in-law,  and   principal 
chief,  Wasegoboah,  was  killed  ten  or  fifteen  steps  from 
where  Tecumseh  fell.     Black  Hawk  also  testifies,  that 
near  Tecumseh,  there  was  lying  a  large,  fine  looking 
Potawatamie,  decked  off  in  his  plumes  and  wai-paint, 
whom  the  Americans  mistook  for  Tecumseh.     Mr.  B. 
says  that  a  medal  was  taken  from  the  body  of  the  In- 
dian killed  by  colonel  Johnson,  which  was  known  to 
have  been  presented  by  the  British  government  to 
Tecumseh.    Where  is  the  authority  for  this?    When 
Shane  was  examining  the  body,  and  so  much  m  doubt 
whether  it  was  Tecumseh  as  to  require  th.3  blood  to  be 
washed  from  the  face,  before  he  could  decide  with  cer- 
tainty, where  was  this  medal,  which  of  itself  would 
have  settled  the  question  of  identity  ?     It  is  singular, 
that  neither  Shane  nor  Wall  speaks  of  a  medal.     Mr. 
B.  says  that  Tecumseh  was  killed  by  a  ball  and  three 
buckshot,  fired  by  a  horseman,  and  as  colonel  Johnson 
was  the  only  person  in  that  part  of  the  battle  who 
fought  on  horseback,  his   pistols  being  loaded  with 
a  ball  and  three  buckshot,  settles  the  question,  that 
the  colonel  killed  Tecumseh.     Again,  the  question  may 
be  asked,  how  Mr.  B.  knows  the  fact  as  to  the  manner 
in  which  these  pistols  were  loaded  ?     And  if  they  were 
so  loaded,  who  can  say  whether  the  chief  was  killed  by 
this  shot,  the  wound  in  the  eyes,  that  in  the  neck,  or 
the  one  in  the  hip?    But  again;  colonel  Johnson  was 
not  the  only  person  who  fought  on  horseback  in  this 
part  of  the  battle.     He  led  a  «  forlorn  hope"  of  twenty 
men,  all  mounted;  while  on  his  left  was  Davidson's 
company  of  one  hundred  and  forty  men,  also  on  horse- 
back.    Mr.  Wall,  who  was  one  of  the  "forlorn  hope," 
says,  "the   fighting  became  very  severe,  each  party 
mingling  with  the  other."    Finally,  Mr.  B.  closes  his 
testimony  with  the  remark,  that  it  was  w;ell  known 
Enu  ucHiiuw luugcu,  uy  ni'i  ijiiiivjii  rtijv,   .!...! — ^,  _-  !.— - 
time,  that  Tecumseh  received  his  death  from  the  hand 
of  colonel  Johnson,  as  appears  by  James'  History  of 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


209 


the  line 
ess  fur- 
is  killed 
y  Shane 
irincipal 
ps  from 
ies,  that 
looking 
11 -paint, 
Mr.  B. 
'  the  In- 

10  wn  to 
ment  to 

When 
in  doubt 
od  to  be 
vith  cer- 
f  would 
singular, 
al.     Mr. 
nd  three 
Johnson 
ttle  who 
led  with 
ion,  that 
tion  may 
I  manner 
ley  were 
killed  by 
neck,  or 
ison  was 
k  in  this 
f  twenty 
avidson's 
on  horse- 
•n  hope," 
.ch  party 
closes  his 

11  known 

-•-;  — -   '■ — 

the  hand 
listory  of 


the  Late  War.  It  is  stated  by  the  historian  liere  cited, 
that  colonel  Johnson  shot  Tecumseh  in  the  head — that 
the  body  was  recognized  not  only  by  the  British  officers 
who  were  prisoners,  but  by  commodore  Perry  and 
several  other  American  officers;  Mr.  James  also  ex- 
presses his  surprise  that  general  Harrison  should  have 
omitted,  in  his  official  letter  to  the  War  Department,  to 
mention  the  death  of  this  chief.  Now,  we  have  the 
authority  of  several  American  officers,  of  high  rank, 
for  stating,  that  these  British  officers  were  not,  on  the 
evening  of  the  day  on  which  the  action  was  fought,  in 
that  part  of  the  Une  where  Tecumseh  fell ;  and  that 
early  on  the  ensuing  morning,  they  were  taken  to  a 
house  two  miles  below  the  battle  ground,  and  from 
thence  to  Detroit,  without  returning  to  the  scene  of 
their  defeat.  Mr.  James  is,  therefore,  incorrect  on  this 
point,  as  he  certainly  is,  in  saying  that  commodore 
Perry  and  other  American  officers  recognized  the  body 
of  Tecumseh.  The  commodore  had  never  seen  this 
chief  prior  to  the  afternoon  of  the  battle  in  which  he 
fell.  General  Harrison,  it  is  believed,  was  the  only 
American  officer  in  the  engagement,  who  had  a  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  Tecumseh.  The  day  after  the 
battle,  the  general,  attended  by  several  of  his  officers, 
visited  the  battle  ground.  The  body  of  the  Indian, 
supposed  to  be  that  of  Tecumseh,  was  pointed  out  to 
him,  but  owing  to  its  swollen  condition,  he  was  unable 
to  say  whether  it  was  Tecumseh,  or  a  Potawatamie 
chief,  who  usually  visited  Vincennes  in  company  with 
him :  he  felt  confident  it  was  one  of  the  two,  but  fur- 
ther than  this  could  not  pronounce  with  certainty. 
]VIr.  James  and  Anthony  Shane  are  Mr.  Brown's  chief 
witnesses.  The  first  states  that  Tecumseh  was  shot 
with  a  musket  ball  in  the  arm,  and  finally  killed  by  a 
ball  in  the  head  from  colonel  Johnson's  pistol :  the  se- 
cond testifies  that  he  fell  by  a  ball  and  three  bnckshot 
which  entered  his  left  breast,  and  that  he  was  wound- 
ed in  no  other  part :  the  former  says  that  Tecumseh's 
body  was  literally  flayed — the  latter,  that  only  a  small 
piece  of  skin  was  cut  from  one  of  his  thighs.*     It  re- 

*  See  Jamea'  Military  Occurrences,  and  Arthony  Shane's  Narrative 

s  2 


m 


210 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


mains  for  Mr.  Brown  to  reconcile  these  glaring  dis- 
crepancies  in  the  testimony  of  his  own  witnesses.  If 
this  dissection  of  Mr.  Brown's  elaborated  letter,  pre- 
sents him  more  in  the  light  of  the  partizan  advocate 
than  the  faithful  historian,  we  are  not  responsible  for 
it ;  and  if  he  has  failed  to  establish  the  fact  that  colonel 
Johnson  killed  Tecumseh,  he  must  probably  look  for 
the  reason  of  that  failure  in  the  weakness  of  his  claims, 
rather  than  in  any  lack  of  zeal  in  advocating  the  colo- 
nel's cause. 

Our  analysis  of  the  testimony  which  has  at  different 
times  been  brought  before  the  public,  tending  to  estab- 
lish the  supposition  that  Tecumseh  fell  by  the  hands  of 
colonel  Johnson,  is  now  closed ;  and  we  think  it  will 
be  admitted,  in  reviewing  the  case,  that  the  claims  of 
the  colonel  have  not  been  satisfactorily  established, 
either  by  direct  or  circumstantial  evidence.  But  we 
have  further  testimony  to  offer  on  this  point. 

It  is  proved  by  a  number  of  witnesses,  and  among 
them  several  who  are  relied  upon  to  establish  the  fact, 
that  colonel  Johnson  killed  Tecumseh,  that  upon  the 
fall  of  this  chief,  the  action  ceased  and  the  Indians  fled. 

Even  the  reverend  Mr.  Brown  admits  such  to  have 
been  the  case.  Now,  we  propose  to  show  that  colonel 
Johnson  was  wounded  and  retired  from  the  scene  of 
action  at  its  commencement ;  and  that  the  contest  lasted 
for  twenty  or  thirty  minutes  afterwards.  As  to  the 
first  point,  captain  Davidson,  who  was  by  the  side  of 
colonel  Johnson,  says,  <•  We  struck  the  Indian  line  ob- 
liquely, and  when  we  approached  within  ten  or  fifteen 
yards  of  their  line,  the  Indians  poured  in  a  heavy  fire 
upon  us,  killing  ten  or  fifteen  of  our  men  and  several 
horses,  and  wounding  colonel  Johnson  very  severely. 
He  immediately  retired."*  Colonel  Ambrose  Dudley 
says, «  As  I  passed  to  the  left,  near  the  crochet,  after  the 
firing  had  ceased  on  the  right,  I  met  colonel  R.  M. 
Johnson  passing  diagonally  from  the  swamp  towards 
the  line  of  infantry,  and  spoke  with  him.  He  said  he 
was  badly  wounded,  his  gray  mare  bleeding  profusely 
in  several  places.    The  battle  continued  with  the  In- 


Cincinnati  Republican,  30th  September,  1840. 


LIFE    0-"    TECUMSEH. 


211 


pre- 


i>^^l  °?  !  '^^^  infantry,  with  some  of  colonel 

K.  M.  Jolinson's  troops  mixed  up  promiscuously  with 
them,  coiitmued  the  battle  for  half  an  hour  after  co- 
lonel Johhson  was  disabled  and  had  ceased  to  com- 
mand his  men."*     Doctor  S.  Theobald,  of  Lexington, 
Kentucky,  one  of  the  surgeons  to  the  mounted  regi- 
ment, says,  "  colonel  Johnson  was  wounded  in  the  on- 
set of  the  battle.     I  had  the  honor  to  compose  one  of  his 
"  forlorn  hope,"  and  followed  him  in  the  charge.     It  is 
impossible,  under  such  circumstances,  to  estimate  time 
with  precision ;  but  I  know  the  period  was  a  very  brief 
one  from  the  firing  of  the  first  guns,  which  indeed  was 
tremendously  heavy,  till  colonel  Johnson  approached 
me  covered  with  wounds,  but  still  mounted.     I  think 
he  said  to  me,  I  am  severely  wounded,  which  way 
shall  I  go  ?    That  I  replied,  follow  me,  which  he  did  : 
and  I  conducted  him  directly  across  the  swamp,  on  the 
margin  of  which  we  had  charged,  and  to  the  point 
where   doctor   Mitchell,  surgeon-general   of  Shelby's 
corps,  was  stationed.     Some  one  hundred  and  fifty  or 
two  hundred  yards  in  the  rear,  colonel  Johnson  was 
taken  from  his  horse.     He  appeared  faint  and  much 
exhausted.     I  asked  him  if  he  would  have  water,  to 
which  he  answered,  yes.     I  cast  about  immediately  for 
some,  but  there  was  none  at  hand,  nor  any  thing  that 
I  could  see  to  bring  it  in,  better  than  a  common  funnel, 
which  I  saw  lying  on  the  ground,  and  which  I  seized 
and  ran  to  the  river,  (Thames)  a  distance  probably  of 
one  hundred  yards  or  more ;  and  closing  the  extremity 
of  the  funnel  with  my  finger,  made  use  of  it  as  a  cup, 
from  which  I  gave  him  drink.     In  a  few  minutes  after 
this.  Garret  Wall,  who  also  composed  one  of  the  «for« 
lorn  hope,"  and  was  thrown  from  his  horse  in  the  charge, 
came  and  solicited  me  to  return  with  him  to  the  ground 
on  which  we  had  charged,  to  aid  him  in  recovering  his 
lost  saddle-bags.     I  assented.     We  crossed  the  narrow 
swamp,  to  which  I  have  before  alluded,  and  had  not 
progressed  far,  before  we  came  to  the  body  of  one  of 
our  men  who  had  been  killed,  and  who  I  recognized  as 
Mansfield,  of  captain  Siucker's  company  :  a  little  fur- 


'II 


'I 


*  Set  Cincinnati  Republican,  .30th  September,  1840. 


212 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


m 


ther,  that  of  Scott,  of  Coleman's  company  ;  and  pro- 
gressing some  forty  or  fifty  steps  (it  may  have  been 
more,)  in  advance  of  that,  we  found  our  venerable  and 
brave  old  comrade,  colonel  Whitley,  who  was  also 
of  the  «  forlorn  hope."  Near  him,  in  a  moment,  I  well 
remember  to  have  noticed,  with  a  feeling  and  exclama- 
tion of  exultation,  the  body  of  an  Indian ;  and  some 
twenty  or  thirty  steps  in  advance  of  this,  another  Indi- 
an, which  last  was  afterwards  designated  as  the  body 
of  Tecumseh.  I  distinctly  recollect,  that  as  we  return- 
ed to  make  this  search,  the  firing  was  still  kept  up  some 
distance  off  on  our  left."* 

Testimony  on  these  points  might  be  multiplied,  but 
could  add  nothing  to  the  force  of  that  which  is  here 
cited.     The  letter  of  Dr.  Theobald  is  conclusive  as  to 
the  time  when  colonel  Johnson  was  wounded,  and  the 
period  during  which  the  action  continued  after  he  retir- 
ed from  the  battle  ground.     It  seems  the  colonel  was 
disabled  at  the  beginning  of  the  action  with  the  Indi- 
ans, and  immediately  rode  from  the  field  ;  that  the  ac- 
tion lasted  for  near  half  an  hour ;  that  Tecumseh  fell 
at  or  near  the  close  of  it :  and  that  he  could  not,  there- 
fore, have  fallen  by  the  hand  of  colonel  Johnson.  Whe- 
ther the  leader  of  the  "forlorn  hope"  can  claim  the 
credit  of  having  actually  killed  an  Indian  chief  on  this 
memorable  day,  is  not  the  immediate  question  before 
us  :  that  he  acted  with  dauntless  bravery,  in  promptly 
charging  the  Indian  line,  during  the  brief  period  which 
he  remained  unwounded,  is  universally  admitted ;  but 
that  he  is  entitled  to  the  honor,  (if  such  it  may  be  call- 
ed,) of  having  personally  slain  the  gifted  «  king  of  the 
woods,"  will  not  be  so  readily  conceded. 

James,  the  British  historian,  from  whose  «  MiUtary 
Occurrences  "  we  have  already  quoted,  having  charged 
general  Harrison  with  designedly  omitting,  in  his  offi- 
cial report,  all  reference  to  the  death  of  Tecumseh, 
leaves  the  inference  to  be  drawn  by  the  reader,  that  the 
omission  was  prompted  by  a  feeling  of  envy  towards 
colonel  Johnson,  who  had  done  the  deed.  It  is  due  to 
me  cause  or  truin,  iioi  less  uiuii  lu  mc  icpuianvn  u*  ai^ 

*  Dr.  Theobald's  letter,  dated  27th  November,  1840,  in  possession  of 
the  author  of  this  work. 


J.IFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


3U 


id  pro- 
3  been 
)le  and 
ls  also 
I  well 
clama- 
1  some 
51  Indi- 
B  body 
return- 
p  some 

ed,  but 
is  here 
B  as  to 
Eiiid  the 
le  retir- 
lel  was 
le  Iridi- 
the  ac- 
seh  fell 
:,  there- 
.  Whe- 
lim  the 
on  this 
I  before 
romptly 
i  which 
ed;  but 
be  call- 
g  of  the 

Military 
charged 
his  offi- 
cumseh, 
,  that  the 
towards 
3  due  to 
m  of  the 

mseesion  of 


American  commander,  that  this  charge  should  be  im- 
partially examined.  It  is  true,  that  the  official  account 
of  ihe  battle  of  the  Thames  does  not  mention  the  death 
ot  fecumseh,  and  the  propriety  of  this  omission  will  be 
sutficiently  obvious  from  the  following  narrative. 

General  Harrison  and  Anthony  Shane,  so  far  as  it  is 
known,  were  the  only  persons  in  the  American  army 
who  were  personally  acquainted  with  Tecumseh.  It  is 
possible  that  some  of  the  friendly  Indians,  commanded 
by  Shane,  may  have  known  him ;  but  it  does  not  appear 
that  any  of  them  undertook  to  identify  the  body  after 
the  battle  was  over.  Shane  was  under  the  impression, 
on  the  evening  of  the  action,  that  he  had  found  the 
body  of  Tecumseh  among  the  slain ;  but,  as  Mr.  Wall 
testifies,  expressed  himself  with  caution.  General  Har- 
rison himself  was  not,  on  the  following  day,  enabled  to 
identify  with  certainty  the  body  of  this  chief,  as  appears 
from  the  testimony  of  a  member  of  the  general's  milita- 
ry family,  which  we  here  quote,  as  having  a  direct  bear- 
ing on  the  question  under  consideration : 

''  I  am  authorised,"  says  colonel  Charles  S.  Todd,* 
"by  several  officers  of  general  Harrison's- staff,  who 
were  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  to  state  most  unequiv- 
ocally their  belief,  that  the  general  neither  knew  nor 
•Jould  have  known  the  fact  of  the  death  of  Tecumseh, 
at  the  date  of  his  letter  to  the  war  department.  It  was 
^he  uncertainty  which  prevailed,  as  to  the  fact  of  Te- 
v;umseh's  being  killed,  that  prevented  any  notice  of  it 
m  his  report.  On  the  next  day  after  the  battle,  general 
Harrison,  in  company  with  commodore  Perry  and  oth- 
er officers,  examined  the  body  of  an  Indian  supposed  to 
be  Tecumseh;  but  from  its  swollen  and  mutilated  con- 
dition, he  was  unable  to  decide  whether  it  was  that 
chief  or  a  Potawatamie  who  ucually  visited  him  at  Vin- 
cennes,  in  company  with  Tecumseh ;  and  I  repeat  most 
unhesitatingly,  that  neither  commodore  Perry  nor  any 
officer  in  the  American  army,  excepting  general  Harri- 
son, had  ever  seen  Tecumseh  previously  to  the  battle ; 
and  even  though  he  had  recognized  the  body  which  he 


f,'.. 


I' 


*  One  of  the  aids  o*"  general  Harrison,  and  inspector-general  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  army,  during  the  late  war. 


214 


LIPE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


examined  to  be  that  of  the  celebrated  chief,  it  was  man- 
ifestly impossible  that  he  could  have  known  whether  he 
was  killed  by  Johnson's  corps,  or  by  that  part  of  the 
infantry  which  parucipated  in  the  action.    No  ofticial  or 
other  satisfactory  report  of  his  death,  was  made  to  hina 
by  those  engaged  on  that  part  of  the  battle   ground 
where  he  fell.     It  was  not  until  after  the  return  of  the 
army  to  Detroit,  and  after  the  date  of  general  Ham- 
son's  despatches,*  that  it  was  ascertained  from  the  ene- 
my that  Tecumseh  was  certainly  killed;  and  even  then 
the  opinion  of  the  army  was  divided  as  to  the  person 
by  whose  hands  he  fell.     Some  claimed  the  credit  of 
it  for  colonel  Whitley,  some  for  colonel  Johnson ;  but 
others,  constituting  a  majority,  including  governor  Shel- 
by, entertained  the  opinion  that  he  fell  by  a  shot  from 
David  King,  a  private  in  captain  Davidson's  company, 
from  Lincoln  county,  Kentucky.     In  this  state  of  the 
case,  even  had  the  fact  of  Tecumseh's  death  been  ful- 
ly ascertained,  at  the  date  of  general  Harrison's  letter, 
it  would  have  been  manifestly  unjust,  not  to  say  im- 
practicable, for  the   commander-in-chief  to   have  ex- 
pressed  an  opinion  as  to  the  particular  individual  to 
whose  personal  prowess  his  death  was  to  be  attri- 

^In  taking  leave  of  this  branch  of  our  subject,  it  may 
be  remarked,  that  the  strong  terms  of  approbation  in 
which  general  Harrison,  in  his  official  account  ot  the 
battle  of  the  Thames,  speaks  of  the  bravery  and  bear- 
ing of  colonel  Johnson  in  the  conflict,  should  have 
shielded  him  from  the  suspicion  that  any  unkind  feel- 
ing towards  that  officer  was  allowed  to  sway  his  judg- 
ment in  the  preparation  of  his  report. 

We  now  proceed  to  give  some  testimony  m  favor  ot 
other  individuals,  whose  friends  have  claimed  for  them 
the  credit  of  having  slain  Tecumseh      It  hf  s  been  a  - 
ready  stated,  that  before  our  army  left  the  field  ol  bat- 
tle, it  was  reported  and  believed  by  many  of  the  troops, 

*  Earlv  on  the  7th,  general  Harrison  left  the  army  under  the  cornmand 

of  ffoverno'-  Siielby,  and  returned  lu  iJcuOU.     ni-  y-i  ••[- ".."""iV.    \ 

dat?donthe9th.    The  army  did  not  reach  Sandwich,  opposite  Detro-t, 

until  the  10th. 

I  See  Louisville  Journal. 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


215 


as  man- 
3ther  he 
,  of  the 
ERcial  or 
5  to  him 

ground 
I  of  the 
L  Harri- 
the  ene- 
ren  then 
i  person 
redit  of 
ion;  but 
lor  Shel- 
lot  from 
Dmpany, 
e  of  the 
)een  ful- 
's  letter, 

say  im- 
lave  ex- 
ridual  to 
be  attri- 

;t,  it  may 
bation  in 
nt  of  the 
,nd  bear- 
uld  have 
cind  feel- 
his  judg- 

L  favor  of 
for  them 
been  al- 
d  of  bat- 
he troops, 

he  command 
le  batile^  was 
osite  Detro't, 


that  colonel  Whitley,  of  Johnson's  corps  of  mounted 
men,  had  killed  the  Indian  commander  in  the  action  of 
the  Thames.  The  only  testimony,  in  confirmation  of 
this  report,  which  has  fallen  under  our  observation,  is 
contained  in  the  two  following  communications.  The 
first  is  a  letter  from  Mr.  Abraham  Scribner,  now  of 
Greenville,  Ohio,  under  date  of  September  8th,  1840 
I  u^i^^®^  says—"  I  had  never  seen  Tecumseh,  until 
the  body  was  shown  to  me  on  the  battle  ground  on  the 
river  Thames :  by  whose  hand  he  fell  must  always  be  a 
matter  of  uncertainty.  My  own  opinion  was,  the  day 
alter  the  battle,  and  is  yet,  that  Tecumseh  fell  by  a  ball 
from  the  rifle  of  colonel  Whitley,  an  old  Indian  fighter- 
two  balls  passed  through  colonel  Whitley's  head,  at  the 
moment  that  Tecumseh  fell;  he  (colonel  Whitley,)  was 
seen  to  take  aim  at  the  Indian  said  to  be  Tecumseh, 
and  his  rifle  was  found  empty." 

The  second  is  from  colonel  Ambrose  Dudley,  of  Cin- 
cinnati, under  date  of  24th  February,  1841,  and  is  in 
the  following  words : 

«  The  morning  after  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  in  com- 
pany with  several  other  persons,  I  walked  over  the 
ground,  to  see  the  bodies  of  those  who  had  been  slain 
in  the  engagement.  After  passing  from  the  river  a 
considerable  distance,  and  the  latter  part  of  the  way 
along  what  was  termed  a  swamp,  viewing  the  slain 
of  the  British  army,  we  came  to  a  place  where  some 
half  a  dozen  persons  were  standing,  and  three  dead  In- 
dians were  lying  close  together.  One  of  the  spectators 
remarked,  that  he  had  witnessed  that  part  of  the  engefge- 
ment  which  led  to  the  death  of  these  three  Indians  and 
two  of  our  troops,  whose  bodies  had  been  removed  the 
evening  l3efore  for  burial.  He  proceeded  to  point  out 
the  position  of  the  slain  as  they  lay  upon  the  ground, 
with  that  of  our  men.  He  said  old  colonel  Whitley 
rode  up  to  the  body  of  a  tree,  which  lay  before  him, 
and  behind  which  lay  an  Indian  :  he  (the  Indian,)  at- 
tempted to  fire,  but  from  some  cause  did  not  succeed, 
and  then  Whitley  instantly  shot  him.     This  Indian  was 

recognized  bv  one  of  the  r>pr<5nns  nrpspnt  as  Tppnmeph  • 

the  next  Indian  was  pointed  out  as  having  killed  Whit- 
ley ;  then  the  position  of  another  of  our  troops  who  kill. 


21G 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSBH. 


FITS' 


ed  that  Indian,  and  the  Indian  who  killed  him,  with  the 
position  of  the  man  who  shot  the  third  Indian — making 
three  Indians  and  two  Americans  who  had  fallen  on  a 
very  small  space  of  ground.  From  the  manner  of  the 
narrator,  and  the  facts  related  at  the  time,  I  did  not 
doubt  the  truth  of  his  statement,  nor  have  I  ever  had 
any  reason  to  doubt  it  since.  The  Indian  pointed  out 
as  Tecumseh,  was  wearing  a  bandage  over  a  wound  in 
the  arm,  and  as  it  was  known  that  Tecumseh  had  teen 
slightly  wounded  in  the  arm  the  day  before,  while  de- 
fending the  passage  of  a  creek,  my  conviction  was 
strengthened  by  this  circumstance,  that  the  body  before 
us  was  that  of  Tecumseh." 

The  reader  will  decide  for  himself  how  far  this  testi- 
mony sustains  the  plea  that  has  been  raised  for  colonel 
Whitley.  It  is  certainly  clear  and  to  the  point,  and 
presents  a  plausible  case  in  support  of  his  claim. 

Mr.  David  King  is  the  other  individual  to  whom 
reference  has  been  made  as  entitled  to  the  credit  of 
having  killed  the  great  Shawanoe  chief.  He  was  a  pri- 
vate in  captain  James  Davidson's  company  of  mount- 
ed men,  belonging  to  Johnson^s  corps.  The  statement 
given  below  in  suppoi  I  of  King's  claim,  was  written 
by  the  editor  of  the  Frankfort  (Ky.)  Commentator,  and 
published  in  that  journal  in  1831.  It  is  given  on  the 
authority  of  captain  Davidson  and  his  brother,  two 
highly  respectable  citizens  of  Kentucky,  both  of  whom 
belonged  to  colonel  Johnson's  mounted  regiment,  and 
were  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames.  We  have  omitted 
the*  first  part  of  this  statement  as  irrelevant  to  the  point 
in  issue. 

"  While  these  things  were  acting  in  this  part  of  the 
field,  and  towards  the  close  of  the  action,  which  did 
not  last  long — ^for  though  much  was  done,  it  was  done 
quickly — when  the  enemy  was  somewhat  thinned  and 
considerably  scattered,  and  our  men  were  scattered 
amongst  them,  Clark,  one  of  the  men  mentioned  above, 
suddenly  called  out  to  his  comrade,  David  King,  to 
"  take  care  of  the  Indian  that  was  near  to  him."  The 
warrior  turned  upon  Clark :  at  the  same  instant,  King 
fired  at  him  with  Whitley's  gun,  and  lodged  the  two 
5  which  he  knew  it  was  loaded  with,  in  the  chief- 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


;;;] 


if. 


with  the 
-making 
ien  on  a 
sr  of  the 
did  not 
jver  had 
ited  out 
ironnd  in 
lad  teen 
'•hile  de- 
ion  was 
[y  before 

his  testi- 
:  colonel 
►int,  and 
1. 

3  whom 
jredit  of 
as  a  pri- 
:  mount- 
tatement 

written 
itor,  and 
I  on  the 
ler,  two 
Df  whom 
lent,  and 

omitted 
;he  point 

rt  of  the 
hich  did 
'^as  done 
ned  and 
scattered 
d  above, 
King,  to 
."  The 
,nt,  King 
the  two 
16  chief- 


tarn  s  breast—for  wlien  Whitley  fell,  King  threw  awav 
his  own  gun,  and  took  the  better  one  and  the  powder 
horn  of  the  old  Indian  fighter.     The    Indian   droned 

upon  King^.  fire  :-"  Whoop-by  G »  exclaimed 

King,  «  he  was  every  mch  a  soldier.     I  have  killed  one 

d d  yellow  bugger,"  and  passed  on.    Giles  saw  this 

occurrence  as  well  as  Clark,  and  so  did  Von  Treece 
--they  were  all  together.  From  the  commencement 
01  the  fight,  the  voice  of  an  Indian  commander  had 
beeu  distinctly  heard  and  observed  by  our  soldiers 
About  this  time  it  ceased,  and  was  heard  no  more  ': 
lecvmseh  was  dead.  Presently  a  cry  of  ^^  how  ' 
how!  was  raised  among  the  Indians;  upon  which 
they  turned  and  fled,  pursued  by  our  soldiers. 

"  Upon  the  return  of  the  volunteers  from  the  pur- 
suit, Kmg  proposed  to  Sam  Davidson,  his  friend  and 
relative,  and  to  other  comrades,  to  go  round  with  him 
by  the  spot  where  he  had  killed  the  Indian,  because  he 
wanted  to  get  his  fine  leggins.  They  had  noticed  a 
particular  tree  and  a  log,  near  to  which  the  Indian  fell. 
1  hey  found  the  tree  without  difiiculty,  but  the  body 
was  not  discovered  quite  so  readily ;  but  King  insisted 
that  It  must  be  somewhere  thereabouts.  Sam  David- 
son first  discovered  it.  It  was  lying  behind  a  tree,  face 
downward.  «  Here  he  is^  said  Davidson,  «  but  I  see 
no  wound  upon  him."  «  Roll  him  over,''  said  Kin? 
"  and  if  It  is  my  Indian,  you  will  find  two  bullet  holes 
I  ^eft  breast."     It  was  done  ;  and  there  were  the 

tw  ,  holes,  an  inch  apart,  just  below  the  left  pap 

—th.^  no  doubt,  where  King's  balls  had  entered. 

1  be  L  aj,  from  his  dress,  was  evidently  a  chief.  His 
fanciful  leggins,  (King's  main  object  in  hunting  out  the 
body,)  his  party-colored  worsted  sash,  his  pistols,  his 
two  dirks,  all  his  dress  and  equipments,  were  the  un- 
disputed spoils  of  King.  He  kept  one  of  the  dirks,  the 
sash,  and  moccasins  for  himself;  the  rest  he  distributed 
as  presents  among  his  messmates. 

"  Now,  it  was  this  very  Indian,  which  was  after- 
wards identified  by  those  who  had  known  him,  as  Te- 
CUMSEH — this  and  no  other.'' 

This  testimony,  coming  as  it  does  from  a  highly  re- 
spectable quarter,  would  seem  to  be  conclusive  in  favor 

T 


m 


\. 


f 


m 


M 


I 


218 


LIFE    OF    TECUiVISEH. 


I' 

I 
* 


r* 


"i'i  • 


of  the  claim  of  King.  It  contains,  however,  statements 
which,  if  true,  greatly  weaken  its  force ;  and,  indeed,  in 
our  opinion,  dissipate  at  once  the  idea  that  the  Indian 
killed  by  King  was  Tecumseh.  The  narrative  states 
that  "  the  Indian,  from  his  dress,  was  evidently  a  chief. 
His  fanciful  leggins,  his  party-colored  worsted  sash, 
his  pistols,  his  two  dirks,  all  his  dress  and  equipments^ 
were  the  undisputed  spoils  of  King."  Now,  if  there 
be  any  one  fact  connected  with  the  fall  of  Tecumseh 
which  is  fully  and  fairly  established  upon  unimpeach- 
able authority,  it  is,  that  he  entered  the  battle  of  the 
Thames,  dressed  in  the  ordinary  deer-skin  garb  of  his 
tribe.  There  was  nothing  in  his  clothes,  arms  or  orna- 
ments, indicating  him  to  have  been  a  chief.  On  this 
pomt  the  testimony  of  Anthony  Shane  is  explicit ;  and 
his  statement  is  confirmed  by  colonel  Baubee  of  the 
British  army,  who  was  familiarly  acquainted  with  Te- 
cumseh. This  officer,  the  morning  after  the  action, 
stated  to  one  of  the  aids  of  general  Harrison,  that  he 
saw  Tecumseh  just  before  the  battle  commenced,  and 
that  he  was  clothed  in  his  usual  plain  deer-skin  dress, 
and  in  that  garb  took  his  position  in  the  Indian  line, 
where  he  heroically  met  his  fate.  The  testimony  in 
favor  of  Mr.  King's  claim,  while  it  proves  very  satis- 
factorily that  he  killed  an  Indian,  is  equally  conclusive, 
we  think,  in  estabUshing  the  fact  that  that  Indian  was 
not  the  renowned  Tecumseh. 

With  the  statement  of  one  other  person,  upon  this 
vexed  question,  we  shall  take  our  final  leave  of  it. 
Major  William  Oliver,  of  Cincinnati,  in  a  communica- 
tion to  the  author,  under  date  of  23d  December,  1840, 
says : — 

«  In  1819, 1  lodged  with  Anthony  Shane,  at  what  was 
then  called  "  the  Second  Crossing  of  the  St.  Mary's."  I 
had  known  Shane  intimately  for  a  long  time,  indeed, 
from  my  first  settlement  at  fort  W^ayne,  in  1S06.  In 
speaking  of  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  and  the  fall  of 
Tecumseh,  he  said,  the  most  authentic  information  he 
had  obtained  upon  this  point,  was  from  two  brothers  of 
his  wife,  who  were  in  the  battle,  and  near  the  person 
of  Tecumseh  when  he  fell.  They  stated,  in  positive 
terms,  that  Tecumseh  was  shot  by  a  private  of  the  Ken- 


UVr.    OF   TKCUMSEH. 


iJl[> 


tucky  troops;  and  Shane  seemed  so- well  satisfied  with 

To  John  Johnston,  of  Piqua,  late  Indian  a^ent   and 

0  hers  Shane  at  tins  early  period,  expressed  the  opinion 

mander  of  the  mounted  regiment.     Tlie  reader  of  this 
volume  Will  recollect,  that  lo'ng  subsequent  ?o  the  ririo 

of  a'^poHtLl'""""  "^'^  expressedrand  upon  t/.e  eve 

01  a  political  campaign,  m  which  colonel  K.  M.  John- 

Anthonlsir"'^''^'  '^^  ^  ^"^^^  ^"^  honorabTe  offic  , 
Anthony  Shane  is  represented  by  the  reverend  0  B 

seh  did  mP.rr  ^  f '1?  I'  ^''"^  ^'''  ^^^^^f'  ^h^^  '^--""^- 
Shane    ^hn  ^r '^  ^^  ^  '^'""^  ^^^"^  ^^e  colonel. 

Shane    who,  we  believe,  is   now  deceased,  sustained 
hrough  life,  a  character  for  integrity.     Whether  in  his 
latter  years,  his  memory  had  failed^im  by  which  t 

whPthPv  M  'f/''''  '^'^'^  contradictory  opinions,  or 
whether  Mn  Brown  misunderstood  the  import  of  his 
anguage,  when  talking  upon  this  matter,  w^e  shah  no 
undertake  to  decide.     The  reader  who  feels  an  inteies 
in  the  ponit  at  issue  will  settle  the  question  for  himself 
whether,  mider  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  case 
the  early  or  late  declarations  of  Shane  were  the  genu-' 
ine  expression  of  his  belief  on  this  subject. 


V  I' 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

^  dmnf.?  T ''  ''^'"r  ^^  ^^''-  Prophet-brief  sketch  of  his  character-anec 
dotes  of  recumseh— a  review  of  the  great  principles  of  his  olan  of  .'inn 
among  the  tribe^general  summaiy  of  his  life  and  characten 

ic Ti!r'w  T^'^f '?f '  "i  ^  ^^"^^  ^°  J^h"  Adams,*  says: 
'^The  Wabash  Prophet  is  more  rogue  than  fool,  if  to 
be  a  rogue  is  not  the  greatest  of  all  follies.  He  rose  to 
notice  while  I  was  in  the  administration,  and  became, 
of  course,  a  proper  subject  for  me.     The  inauirv  wa« 

— ■ X  .*        " 

*  Jefferson's  Correspondence,  vol.  10.  p.  171. 


220 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


made  with  diligence.  His  declared  object  was  tlie  re- 
fornuitlou  of  his  red  brethren,  and  their  return  to  their 
pristine  manner  of  hving.  He  pretended  to  be  in  con- 
stant communication  with  the  Great  Spirit ;  that  he  was 
I  instructed  by  Him  to  make  known  to  the  Indians  that 
they  were  created  by  Him  distinct  from  the  whites,  of 
dift'erent  natures,  for  different  purposes,  and  placed  un- 
der different  circumstances,  adapted  to  their  nature  and 
destinies ;  that  they  must  return  from  all  the  ways  of 
tiie  whites  to  the  habits  and  opinions  of  their  forefa- 
thers ;  they  must  not  eat  the  flesli  of  hogs,  of  bullocks, 
of  sheep,  &c.,  the  deer  and  buffalo  having  been  created 
for  their  food ;  they  must  not  make  bread  of  wheat,  but 
of  Indian  corn ;  they  must  not  wear  linen  nor  woollen, 
but  dress  like  their  fathers,  in  the  skins  and  furs  of  ani- 
mals ;  they  must  not  drink  ardent  spirits ;  and  I  do  not 
remember  whether  he  extended  his  inhibitions  to  the 
mm  and  gunpowder,  in  favor  of  the  bow  and  arrow. 
I  concluded,  from  all  this,  that  he  was  a  visionary,  en- 
veloped in  their  antiquities,  and  vainly  endeavoring  to 
lead  back  his  brethren  to  the  fancied  beatitudes  of  their 
golden  age.  I  thought  there  was  little  danger  of  his 
making  many  proselytes  from  the  habits  and  comforts 
they  had  learned  from  the  whites,  to  the  hardships  and 
privations  of  savagism,  and  no  great  harm  if  he  did. 
We  let  him  go  on,  therefore,  unmolested.  But  his  fol- 
lowers increased  until  the  British  thought  him  worth 
corrupting,  and  found  him  corruptible.  I  suppose  his 
views  were  then  changed ;  but  his  proceedings  in  con- 
sequence of  them,  were  after  I  left  the  administration, 
and  are,  therefore,  unknown  to  me ;  nor  have  I  ever 
been  informed  what  were  the  particular  acts  on  his  part, 
which  produced  an  actual  commencement  of  hostilities 
on  ours.  I  have  no  doubt,  however,  that  his  subse- 
quent proceedings  are  but  a  chapter  apart,  like  that  of 
Henry  and  Lord  Liverpool,  in  the  book  of  the  Kings 
of  England." 

Mr.  Jefferson's  account  of  the  Prophet's  "  budget  of 
reform,"  is  correct  as  far  as  it  goes :  it  embraced,  how- 
ever, many  other  matters,  looking  to  the  amelioration 
of  savage  life.  Whatever  may  have  been  his  original 
object,  in  the  promulgation  of  his  new  code  of  ethics, 


1, 


LIFE    OF   TECUMSEH. 


3  the  re- 
to  their 
!  in  con- 
;  he  was 
ans  that 
hites,  of 
iced  un- 
Lure  and 
ways  of 
r  forefa- 
Dullocks, 
I  created 
leat,  but 
woollen, 
s  of  ani- 
I  do  not 
IS  to  the 
I  arrow, 
lary,  en- 
coring to 
;  of  their 
er  of  his 
comforts 
hips  and 
he  did. 
;  his  fol- 
m  worth 
ipose  his 
s  in  con- 
istration, 
e  I  ever 
his  part, 
lostilities 
is  subse- 
e  that  of 
le  Kings 

udget  of 
ed,  how- 
ilioration 
original 
)f  ethics, 


881 


there  IS  enough,  we  think,  in  the  character  and  conduct 
of    his  individual  to  warrant  the  opinion,  that  he  was 
really  desirous  of  doing  good  to  his  race ;  and,  that  with 
many  foibles,  and  some  positive  vices,  he  was  not  (les- 
titute  ot  benevolent  and  generous  feelings.     That  in  as 
suming  the  character  of  a  prophet,  he  had,  in  connec 
tion  with  his  brother,  ulterior  objects  in  view,  is  not  to 
be  doubted.     It  so  happened,  that  the  adoption  of  his 
doctrines  was  calculated  to  promote  harmony  amom? 
the  tribes ;  and  this  was  the  very  foundation  of  the  erand 
con  ederacy,  to  which  he  and  Tecumseh  were  zealous- 
ly  devoting  the  energies  of  their  minds. 
K  .^/^^^^  ii^^  premature  and,  to  the  Indians,  disastrous    / 
battle  of  Tippecanoe,  the  Prophet  began  to  fall  into  ob- 
scurity.    The  result  of  that  action  materially  diminish- 
ed the  wide  spread  influence  which  he  had  attained 
over  his  countrymen.     The  incantations,  by  means  of 
which  he   had   played   upon   their  imaginations,  and 
swayed  their  conduct,  lost  their  potency.     The  inspir. 
ed  messenger  of  the  Great  Spirit,  as  he  openly  pro- 
claimed  himself,  had  boldly   promised  his   followers 
an   easy  victory  over  their  enemies.     A  battle  was 
lought— the  Indians  were  defeated—and  the  gory  form 
of  many  a  gallant,  but  credulous  "brave,"  attested  that 
the  renowned  Prophet  had  lost,  amid  the  carnage  of 
that  nocturnal  conflict,  his  office  and  his  power. 

At  the  time  when  this  battle  was  fought,  Tecumseh  V 
was  on  a  mission  to  the  southern  Indians,  with  the  view 
of  extending  his  warlike  confederacy.  He  had  left  in- 
structions with  the  Prophet,  to  avoid  any  hostile  collis- 
ion with  the  whites;  and  from  the  deference  which  the 
latter  usually  paid  to  the  wishes  of  the  former,  it  is  not 
probable  that  the  battle  would  have  occurred,  had  not 
extraneous  influence  been  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
leader.  The  reason  assigned  by  the  Prophet  to  his 
bi'other,  for  this  attack  upon  the  army  under  general 
Harrison,  is  not  known;  but  some  of  the  Indians  who 
were  in  this  engagement,  subsequently  stated  that  the 
Wmnebagoes  forced  on  the  battle  contrary  to  the  wishes 
of  the  Prophet.  This  is  not  improbable :  yet,  admitting 
It  to  be  true,  if  he  had  taken  a  bold  and  decided  stand 
against  the  measure,  it  might,  in  all  probability,  have 

T  2 


J! 


:  4 


222 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


i  been  prevented.  The  influence  of  the  Prophet,  howev- 
er, even  at  this  time,  was  manifestly  on  the  wane,  and 
some  of  his  followers  were  beginning  to  leave  his  camp. 
He  doubtless  felt  that  it  was  necessary  to  do  something 
to  sustain  himself:  a  signal  victory  over  the  whites 
would  accomplish  this  end  ;  and  hence  he  consented 
the  more  readily,  to  the  wishes  of  the  Winnebagoes, 
that  an  attack  should  be  made,  in  the  hope  that  it 
would  prove  successful. 

Within  a  few  months  after  this  battle,  war  was  de- 
clared against  England  by  the  United  States.  Tecum- 
seh  and  the  Prophet,  discouraged  in  regard  to  their 
union  of  the  tribes,  decided  on  joining  the  British  stand- 
ard.    The  love  of  fighting,  however,  was  not  a  re- 

^  markable  trait  of  the  Prophet's  character.  He  won  no 
military  laurels  during  the  continuance  of  that  war ; 
and  although  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Moravian  town  on 
the  5th  of  October,  1813,  he  did  not  choose  to  partici- 
pate in  the  action  at  the  Thames.  After  the  return  of 
peace,  he  resided  in  the  neighborhood  of  Maiden  for 
some  time,  and  finally  returned  to  Ohio :  from  whence, 
with  a  band  of  Shawanoes,  he  removed  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  where  he  resided  until  the  period  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  the  year  1834.  It  is  stated,  in 
a  foreign  periodical,*  that  the  British  government  al- 
lowed him  a  pension  from  the  year  1813,  to  the  close 
of  his  life. 
^  In  forming  an  estimate  of  the  Prophet's  character,  it 
seems  unjust  to  hold  him  responsible  for  all  the  numer- 
ous aggressions  which  were  committed  by  his  follow- 
ers upon  the  property  and  persons  of  the  whites.  His 
first  proselytes  were  from  the  most  worthless  and  vi- 
cious portion  of  the  tribes  from  which  they  were  drawn. 
"  The  young  men  especially,  who  gathered  about  him, 
like  the  young  men  who  brought  on  the  war  of  King 
Philip,  were  wrought  up  until  the  master  spirit  himself, 
lost  his  control  over  them;  and  to  make  the  matter 
worse,  most  of  them  were  of  such  a  character  in  the 
first  instance,  that  horse  steaUng  and  house  breaking 


Vironthinor 
""  •'•"■•  •  ■ '  •  'o* 


T^ike  the  refugees 


*  The  United  Sei-vice  Journal — London. 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


223 


howev- 
ne,  and 
s  camp, 
nething 

whites 
nsented 
sbagoes, 

that  it 

A^as  de- 
Tecum- 
to  their 
li  stand- 
)t  a  re- 
won  no 
at  war ; 
own  on 
partici- 
3turn  of 
Iden  for 
whence, 
t  of  the 
i  of  his 
rated,  in 
nent  al- 
lie  close 

racter,  it 
niimer- 
3  folio  w- 
Bs.  His 
and  vi- 
5  drawn. 
)ut  him, 
of  King 
himself, 
3  matter 
sr  in  the 
breaking 
refugees 


of  Romulus,  they  were  outcasts,  vagabonds  and  crimi- 
nals ;  in  a  great  degree  brought  together  by  the  novelty 
of  the  preacher's  reputation,  by  curiosity  to  hear  his 
doctrines,  by  the  fascination  of  extreme  credulity,  by 
restlessness,  by  resentment  against  the  whites,  and  by 
poverty  and  unpopularity  at  home."*     To  preserve  an 
influence  over  such  a  body  of  men,  to  use  them  suc- 
cessfully as  propagandists  of  his  new  doctrines,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  prevent  their  aggressions  upon  the 
whites,  who  were  oftentimes  themselves  the  aggressors, 
required  no   small  degree  of  talent;  and  called  into 
activity  the  utmost  powers  of  the  Prophet's  mind.     In 
addition  to  these  adverse  circumstances,  he  had  to  en- 
counter the  opposition  of  all  the  influential  chiefs  in  the 
surrounding  tribes ;  and  a  still  more  formidable  adver- 
sary in  the  poverty  and  extreme  want  of  provisions, 
which,  on  several  occasions,  threatened  the  total  disrup- 
tion of  his  party,  and  undoubtedly  led  to  many  of  the 
thefts  and  murders  on  the  frontiers,  of  which  loud  and 
frequent  complaints  were  made  by  the  agents  of  the  Uni- 
ted States.     In  a  word,  difficulties  of  various  kinds  were 
constantly  recurring,  which  required  the  most  ceaseless 
vigilance  and  the  shrewdest  sagacity  on  the  part  of  the 
two  brothers  to  obviate  or  overcome.    The  Prophet  had 
a  clear  head,  if  not  an  honest  heart ;  courteous  and  in- 
sinuating in  his  address,  with  a  quick  wit  and  a  fluent 
tongue,  he  seldom  came  out  of  any  conference  without 
rising  in  the  estimation  of  those  who  composed  it.     He 
was  no  warrior,  and  from  the  fact  of  his  never  having 
engaged  in  a  battle,  the  presumption  has  been  raised 
that  he  was  wanting  in  physical  courage.     With  that 
of  cowardice,  the  charge  of  cruelty  has  been  associa- 
ted, from  the  cold-blooded  and  deliberate  manner  in 
which  he  put  to  death  several  of  those  who  were  sus- 
pected of  having  exercised  an  influence  adverse  to  his 
plans,  or  calculated  to  lessen  the  value  of  the  inspired 
character  which  he  had  assumed.     Finally,  it  may  be 
said  of  him,  that  he  was  a  vain,  loquacious  and  cun- 
ning man,  of  indolent  habits  and  doubtful  principles, 
i  lausible  but  deceitful,  prone  to  deal  in  the  marvellous. 


*  North  American  Review. 


224 


LIFE    OF    TECUMSEH. 


quick  of  apprehension,  affluent  in  pretexts,  winning  and 
eloquent,  if  not  powerful  in  debate,  the  Prophet  was 
peculiarly  fitted  to  play  the  impostor,  and  to  excite  into 
strong  action,  the  credulous  fanaticism  of  the  stern  race 
to  which  he  belonged.  Few  men,  in  any  age  of  tue 
world,  have  risen  more  rapidly  into  extended  notoriety ; 
wielded,  for  the  time  being,  a  more  extraordmary  de- 
gree of  moral  influence,  or  sunk  more  suddenly  into 
obscurity,  than  the  Prophet. 

Tecumseh  was  near  six  feet  in  stature,  with  a  com- 
pact, muscular  frame,  capable  of  great  physical  endu- 
rance. His  head  was  of  a  moderate  size,  with  a  lore- 
head  full  and  high;  his  nose  slightly  aquiline,  teeth 
laree  and  regular,  eyes  black,  penetratmg  and  over- 
hung with  heavy  arched  brows,  which  increased  the 
uniformly  grave  and  severe  expression  ot  his  counte- 
nance He  is  represented  by  those  who  knew  him,  to 
have  been  a  remarkably  fine  looking  man,  always  plain 
but  neat  in  his  dress,  and  o.  a  commanding  personal 
presence.  His  portrait,  it  is  believed,  was  never  paint- 
ed, owing  probably  to  his  strong  prejudices  against  the 

whites.  ^^  ,    . 

In  the  private  and  social  life  of  Tecumseh  there  were 
many  things  worthy  of  notice.     He  was  opposed,  on 
principle,  to  polygamy,  a  practice  almost  universal  among 
his  countrymen.     He  was  married  but  once  ;  and  this 
union,  which  took  place  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  is 
said  to  have  been  more  in  compliance  with  the  wishes 
of  others  than  in  obedience  to  the  unbiassed  impulse 
of  his  feeUngs  or  the  dictates  of  his  judgment.     Mama- 
te  his  wife,  was  older  than  himself,  and  possessed  few 
personal  or  mental  qualities  calculated  to  excite  admi- 
ration.    A  son,  called  Pugeshashenwa,  (a  panther  m 
the  act  of  seizing  its  prey,)  was  the  only  fruit  of  this 
union.     The  mother  died  soon  after  his  birth,  and  he 
was  left  to  the  care  of  his  aunt,  Tecumapease.*     This 
son  is  now  residing  with  the  Shawanoes  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  but  is  not  distinguished  for  talents,  or  re- 
nowned as  a  warrior.    The  British  government,  how- 

♦Vi  rtf  TAPiimsfih.  has  recoffuized  its 


*  Recollections  of  John  Johnston,  and  Anthony  Shane. 


LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 


225 


obligations  to  the  father  by  the  extension  of  an  annual 
stipend  to  the  son. 

From  his  boyhood,  Tecumseh  was  remarkable  for 
temperance  and  the  strictest  integrity.  He  was  hospi- 
table, generous  and  humane ;  and  these  traits  were  ac« 
knowledged  in  his  character  long  before  he  rose  to  dis- 
tinction, or  had  conceived  the  project  of  that  union  of 
the  tribes,  on  which  the  energies  of  his  manhood  were 
fruitlessly  expended.  He  was,  says  an  intelligent  Shaw- 
anoe,  who  had  known  him  from  childhood,  kind  and 
attentive  to  the  aged  and  infirm,  looking  personally  to 
their  comfort,  repairing  their  frail  wigwams  when  win- 
ter approached,  giving  them  skins  for  moccasins  and 
clothing,  and  sharing  with  them  the  choicest  game 
which  the  woods  and  the  seasons  afforded.  Nor  were 
these  acts  of  kindness  bestowed  exclusively  on  those 
of  rank  or  reputation.  On  the  contrary,  he  made  it 
his  business  to  search  out  the  humblest  objects  of  cha- 
rity, and  in  a  quick,  unostentatious  manner,  relieve  their 
wants. 

The  moral  and  intellectual  qualities  of  Tecumseh 
place  him  above  the  age  and  the  race  in  which  his  lot 
was  cast.  "From  the  earliest  period  of  his  life,"  says 
Mr.  Johnston,  the  late  Indian  agent  at  Piqua, "  Tecum- 
seh was  distinguished  for  virtue,  for  a  strict  adherence 
to  truth,  honor,  and  integrity. .  He  was  sober  *  and  ab- 
stemious, never  indulging  in  the  use  of  liquor  nor  eating 
to  excess."  Another  respectable  individual,t  who  resid- 
ed for  near  twenty  years  as  a  prisoner  among  the  Shaw- 
anoes,  and  part  of  that  time  in  the  family  of  Tecum- 
seh, writes  to  us,  "  I  know  of  no  peculiarity  about  him 
that  gained  him  popularity.  His  talents,  rectitude  of 
deportment,  and  friendly  disposition,  commanded  the 
respect  and  regard  of  all  about  him.  In  short,  I  con- 
sider him  a  very  great  as  well  as  a  very  good  man, 
who,  had  he  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  educa- 
tion, would  have  done  honor  to  any  age  or  any  nation." 

Tecumseh  had,  however,  no  education,  beyond  that 


li 


*  Major  James  Galloway,  of  Xenia,  states,  that  on  one  occasion,  whilf 
Tecuiuseh  was  quite  youiig,  he  saw  him  intoxicated.  This  is  the  only 
aberration  of  the  kind,  which  we  have  heard  charged  upon  him. 

f  Mr.  Stephen  RucWell. 


n  .. 


226  I'IFE   OP   TBCUMSEH. 

which  the  traditions  of  his  race,  ''f /is  own  power  of 
observation  and  reflection,  afforded  him.  He  rarely 
Sed  w"th  the  whites,  and  very  seldoni  attempted  to 
Tpeak  their  language,  of  which  his  knowledge  was  ex- 

*'Tvlln  S,  tSe  ro'eltr^uddenly  transferred^- 
his  Plough  in  Ayrshire  to  the  pohshed  circles  of  Edin- 
burgh tease  of  manner,  and  nice  observance  of  the 
S  of  good-breeding,  excited  much  ^ui^r'se,  and  be 
came  the  theme  of  frequent  conversation     The  same 
S  has  been  remarked  of  Tecumseh:  whether  seated 
luhe  tables  of  generals  McArthur  and  V^  or  hington,  a 
L  was  during  the  council  at  ChiUicothe  in  1807,  or 
brought  in  comact  with  British  officers  of  the  highest 
rank  h  s  manners  were  entirely  free  from  vulgarity  and 
coarser^es"  he  was  uniformly  self-possessed,  and  wUh 
theTac"  and  ea.e  of  deportment  which  marked  the  poet 
of  the  heart,  and  which  are  falsely  supposed  to  be  the 
result  of  civUization  and  refinement  only,  he  readily  ac- 
commoda  ed  himself  to  the  novelties  of  his  new  posi- 
,  ?ron  and  seemed  more  amused  than  annoyed  by  them. 
nI    Ththumanity  of  his  character  has  been  already  por- 
trayed in Te  pages  of  this  work.    His  early  efforts  to 
^abS  the  practL  of  burning  prisoners-then  common 
*  amoni  he  Indians-and  the  merciful  protection  which 
rSrwiseTnvariably  showed  to  captives,  whether  ta- 
ken  bv  himself  or  his  companions,  need  no  conimenda- 
tion  a'^  Z  hands.    Rising  above  the  prejudices  and 
lustoms  of  his  people,  even  when  those  piejudices  and 
customs  were  tacitly  sanctioned  by  the  ofEcer»  ana 
agents  of  Great  Britain,  Tecumseh  was  never  known  to 
oir  violence  to  prisoners,  nor  to  permit  it  m  others 
So  strong  was  his  sense  of  honor,  and  so  sensitive  his 
lelinss  ?f  humanity,  on  this  point,  that  even  frontier 
womin  and  children,  throughout  the  wide  space  lu 
whkh  his  character  was  known,  felt  secure  from  the 
Tomahawk  ff  the  hostile  Indians,  if  ;recumseii  was  in 
the  camp./  A  striking  mstance  of  this  confidence  is 
nresented  in  the  fo  bwmg  anecdote.     The  iiiitisn  ana 
?'^^,f"-  _."„  .„„.,^„efl  near  the  river  Raisin;  and 
wMeholdmg  a^laTkwitWn  eighty  or  one  hundred  yards 
rf  Mrs  RuTand's  house,  some  Sauks  and  Wimiebagoes 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH. 


227 


entered  her  dwelling,  and  began  to  plunder  it      She 
immediately  sent  her  little  daufhter,  eight  or  iine  years 

Th^  ch?ldt"1  T.'^^^"^^^^  ^^  '^"^^  '^  her  assistance 
The  child  ran  to  the  council  house,  and  pulling  Tecum- 

seh  (who  was  then  speaking)  by  the  skirt  of  his  huiTt- 
ing-shirt,  said  to  him,  "Come  to  our  house-there  are 
bad   Indians  there.-     Without  waiting  to  close  his 
speech  the  chief  started  for  the  house'in  a  fast  wa?^ 
On  entering,  he  was  met  by  two  or  three  Indians  dra^: 
!n"/i^    T^  towards  the  door:  he  seized  his  tomahawk 
and  evened  one  of  them  at  a  blow :  they  prepared  for 
resistance,  but  no  sooner  did  they  hear  the  cry  "dogs' 
I  am  Tecumsehj-  than  under  the  flash  of  his  indl: 
nam  eye  they  fled  from  the  house:  and  "you,- said 
lecumseh,  turning  .0  some  British  officers,  ^' are  worse 
than  dogs,  to  break  your  faith  with  prisoners."     The 
officers  expressed  their  regrets  to  Mrs.  Ruland,  and  of- 
tered  to  place  a  guard  around  the  house:  this  she  de- 
clmed,  observing,  that  so  long  as  that  man,  pointing  to 
Tecumseh,  was  near  them,  she  felt  safe  * 

Tecumseh  entertained  a  high  and  proper  sense  of 
personal  character— was  equally  bold  in  defending  his 
own  conduct,  and  condemning  that  which  was  repre- 
hensible m  others.  In  1811,  he  abandoned  his  inten- 
tion of  visiting  the  President,  because  he  was  not  per- 
mitted to  march  to  Washington  at  the  head  of  a  party 
of  his  warriors.  As  an  officer  in  the  British  army,  he 
never  lost  sight  of  the  dignity  of  his  rank,  nor  suffered 
any  act  of  injustice  towards  those  under  his  command 
to  pass  without  resenting  it.     On  one  occasion,  while 

.\r!']^"^?  ^''^^'h  ^"•^  ^"^i^^i  f^^rces  were  quartered 
at  Maiden  there  was  a  scarcity  of  provisions,  the  com 
inissary  s  department  being  supplied  with  salt  beef  on 
ly,  which  was  issued  to  the  British  soldiers,  while  hors^ 
flesh  was  given  to  the  Indians.  Upon  learning  thi-' 
lact,  lecumseh  promptly  called  on  general  Proctor,  re- 
monstrated  against  the  injustice  of  the  measure,  and 
complained,  indignantly,  of  the  insult  thus  offered  te 
himself  and  his  men.  The  British  general  appeared 
indifferent  to  what  was  said;   whereupon,  the  chiet 

•On  the  authority  of  colonel  John  Ruland. 


■fs- 


gjjg  LIFE    OP   TECUMSEH. 

,    .      1--W  ^f  o-r.ntnr»«i  sword  with  his  hand,  then 

:l:ree^"tro^ir:^e.^OeSVc.o..  prudent. 

'y  r,' w'o?  FhTnumerous  speeches  made  by  Tecum- 
But  few  ol  tne  '™""';""t,4  ,;,-  „  enealcs  in  exalted 

seh  have  been  f  e?.«y«^f  Jjltd  c         1.  no  record 

rrtfsSfnof circ  X:^^^^^^ 

T  fr?nlmSs  gave  utterance  to  his  honest  opinions. 
Z  Ldde  whoTnew  him  long  and  intimately,  says 
tot  «hf  was  naturally  eloquent,  very  fluent,  gracefu 
lXs5sture.butnot^^^^^^^ 

S^r  KSr-S,  7^Clar.= 
impression  on  his  bearers        mn,  ^^^ 

ra'ade  one  of  his  h^PPJf '  ««7'^-,,  Mr.  Cass,  has  said, 

Lrerrded as  remarkable  in  the  highest  degree.  That 
he  proved  Wmself  worthy  of  his  rank  as  a  general  ofi  - 
cor  in  the  army  of  his  Britannic  '^=^jesty,  or  even  ot  h^s 

irr^th  west  ^ru~a  rrtuii  t  JSoi 

'tv-erfisT™^^^^^ 

^  t^  b^:rstr^:.Tst  rtiv^n^Thl  htLa, 
--  ^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^^^^j^y  ^f  t^p  Hev.  Wm.  H.  Raper. 


LIFE    OP    TECUMSEH.  399 

nature  is  susceptible ;  and  developing  a  power  and  a  h  - 
bor  of  reason,  which  commanded  the  admiration  of  the 
civilized  as  justly  as  the  confidence  and  pride  of   he 

than  all  others,  to  call  forth  his  intellectual  enci-ies 
and   exhibit  the   peculiar  fascination  of  his  Tatory: 
"When  he  spoke  to  bis  brethren  on  the  glorious  theme 
that  animated  all  his  actions,  his  fine  cou^tenaacehgS! 
ed  up,  his  firm  and  erect  frame  swelled  with  deep  emo- 

nT;«  '  V'  '''''"  V  ^'^'"^^y  ^«"ld  scarcely  re- 

press ;  every  feature  and  gesture  had  its  meaning;  and 
language  flowed  tumultuously  and  swiftly,  from  the 
fountains  of  his  soul."  '' 

Another  writer.  Judge  Hall,  long  resident  in  the  west, 
and  devoted  to  the  study  of  aboriginal  history,  has  thus 
summed  up  the  character  of  this  chief  • 

"At  this  period  the  celebrated  Tecumseh  appeared 
upon  the  scene.     He  was  called  the  Napoleon  of  the 
west ;  and  so  far  as  that  title  was  deserved  by  splen- 
did genius  unwavering  courage,  untiring  perseverance, 
boldness  of  conception  and  promptitude  of  action,  it  was 
lairly  bestowed  upon  this  accomplished  savage.     He 
rose  from  obscurity  to  the  command  of  a  tribe  to  which 
he  was  alien  by  birth.     He  was,  by  turns,  the  orator, 
the  warrior  and  the  politician ;  and  in  each  of  these  ca- 
pacities, towered  above  all  with  whom  he  came  in  con- 
tact.   As  IS  often  the  case  with  great  minds,  one  master 
passion  filled  his  heart,  prompted  all  his  designs,  and 
gave  to  his  life  its  chara^  ^er.     This  was  hatred  to  the 
whites,  and,  like  Hannibal,  he  had  sworn  that  it  should 
be  perpetual.     He  entertained  the  same  vast  project  of 
uniting  the  scattered  tribes  of  the  west  into  one  grand 
confederacy,  which  had  been  acted  on  by  King  Philip 
and  Little  Turtle.     He  wished  to  extinguish  all  dis- 
tinctions  of  tribe  and  language,  to  bury  all  feuds,  and 
to  combine  the  power  and  the  prejudices  of  all,  in  de- 
lence  of  the  rights  and  possessions  of  the  whole,  as  the 
aboriginal  occupants  of  the  country." 

It  may  be  truly  said,  that  what  Hannibal  was  to  the 
Romans,  Tecumseh  became  to  the  people  of  the  United 
.-^.c.tv.^.  iiuxu  Ills  uuyiiuou  10  me  hour  when  he  ieii, 
nobly  battling  for  the  rights  of  his  people,  he  fostered' 

IT 


m' 


2QQ  LIFE    OP    TECUMSBH. 

«n  invincible  hatred  to  the  whites.  On  one  occasion, 
Te  Ts  htid  \:  declare,  that  he  could  not  look  upon 
the  face  of  a  white  man,  without  feeling  the  flesn  ciawi 
UDon  his  bones.  This  hatred  was  not  confined,  how^ 
e?er  to  the  Americans.  Circumstances  made  him  the 
X  ;  the  Brttish,  and  induced  him  to  fight  under  their 
s  indard,  but  he  Neither  loved  nor  ^^^P^^^ed^^^^^^^^ 
well  understood  their  policy ;  they  could  "^tjlemve 

the  rising  republic.    This  feeling  towards  the  whites 
Ind  eTeciaTto  the  people  of  the  ^mted  St^^^^^^^^^^^ 
deener  foundation  than  mere  prejudice  or  selt-interest. 

"eaTes  multiplied,  mm  and  desolation  a,„und  and 
amine  them;  he  looked  for  the  cause  of  these  evils  ana 
briieved  he  had  found  it  in  the  flood  of  white  immigra- 
tion which,  having  surmounted  the  towermg  AUeghe- 
n^P^  w^s  sheading  itself  over  the  huntmg  grounds 
^fKentuckv   and  Lng  the  banks  of  the  Scioto,  the 
Mi"nd\rwabas|,  whose  waters  from  time  im- 
mpmorial  had  reflected  the  smoke  of  the  ruae  oui 
non^"us  viUages  of  his  ancestors.     As  a  statesman 
Ts tuTed  thi  subject,  and  ha-ing  ^'-f  «^^h.mse'f 
that  justice  was  on  the  side  of  his  co^ntiymei^  he 
tasked  the  powers  of  his  expansive  mind,  to  find  a  re 
medy  for  the  mighty  evil  which  threatened  their  total 

"Vr'ortSl,  natural  right  of  the  Indians  to  the  oc- 
cupancy  and  possession  of  their  lands,  has  been  reeog- 
nShl  Ae  llwsof  congress,  and  solemnly  sanct^ned 
hv"The  Whest  iudicial  tribunal  of  liie  uniieu  oia.<=.. 
On  Ms  princTpli,  there  is  no  disagreement  between  our 


LIFE    OP    TECUiMSEH. 


S31 


government  and  the  Indian  nations  by  whom  tliis  coun- 
try was  ori,  inally  inhabited.* 

In  the  acquisition  of  these  lands,  however,  our  go- 
vernment has  held  that  its  title  was  perfect  when  it  had 
purchased  of  the  tribe  in  acfual  possession.     It  seems, 
mdeed,  to  have  gone  further  and  admitted,  that  a  tribe 
might  acquire  lands  by  conquest  which  it  did  not  occu- 
py, as  m  the  case  of  the  Iroquois,  and  sell  the  same  to 
us;  and,  that  the  title  thus  acquired,  would  be  valid. 
Thus  we  have  recognized  the  principles  of  internation- 
al law  as  operative  between  the  Indians  and  us  on  this 
particular  point,  while  on  some  others,  as  in  not  allow- 
ing them  to  sell  to  individuals,  and  giving  them  tracts 
used  as  hunting  grounds  by  other  tribes  beyond  the 
Mississippi,  we  have  treated  them  as  savage  hordes, 
not  sufficiently  advanced  in  civilization  to  be  admitted 
mto  the  family  of  nations.     Our  claim  to  forbid  their 
selling  to  individuals,  and  our  guarantying  to  tribes 
who  would  not  sell  to  us  in  our  corporate  capacity,  por- 
tions of  country  occupied  as  hunting  grounds,  by  more 
distant  tribes,  can  only  be  based  on  the  right  of  disco- 
very, taken  in  connection  with  a  right  conferred  by  our 
superior  civilization ;  and  seems  never  in  fact  to  have 
been  fully  acknowledged  by  them.     It   was  not,  at 
least,  admitted  by  Tecumseh.     His  doctrine  seems  to 
have  been  that  we  acquired  no  rights  over  the  Indians 
or  their  country  either  by  discovery  or  superior  civili- 
zation; and  that  the   possession  and  jurisdiction  can 
only  be  obtained  by  conquest  or  negociation.     In  re- 
gard to  the  latter,  he  held  that  purchase  from  a  single 
tribe,  although  at  the  time  sojourners  on  the  lands  sold, 
was  not  valid  as  it  respected  other  tribes.     That  no 
particular  portion  of  the  country  belonged  to  the  tribe 
then  within  its  limits— though  in  reference  to  other 
tribes,  its  title  was  perfect ;  that  is,  possession  exclud- 
ed other  tribes,  and  would  exclude  them  forever;  but 
did  not  confer  on  the  tribe  having  it,  the  right  to  sell 
the  soil  to  us ;  for  that  was  the  common  property  of  all 
the  tribes  who  were  near  enough  to  occupy  or  hunt 
upon  it,  in  the  event  of  its  being  at  any  time  vacated, 

f  6  Wheaton's  Reports,  6 If). 


tM 


LIFE    OF   TECUM9EH. 


4 


and  could  only  be  vacated  by  the  consent  of  the  whole. 
As  a  conclusion  from  these  premises,  he  insisted  that 
certain  sales  made  in  the  west  were  invalid,  and  pro- 
™against  new  ones  on  any  other  than  his  own 

^'iT  mus't  be  acknowledged  that  these  views  have 
much  plaucsibility,  not  lo  grant  to  them  ^"Y  higher  me- 
rit     If  the  Indians  had  been  in  a  nomadic  instead  oi  a 
hunter  state,  and  in  summer  had  driven  their  flocks  to 
the  Allegheny  mountains-in  winter  to  the  banks  of 
he  Wabash  Ld  Tennessee  rivers,  it  could  scarcely  be 
denied  that  each  tribe  would  have  had  an  interest    n 
the  whole  region  between,  and  as  much  "S^t  as  any 
other  tribe  to  be  heard  on  a  question  of  sf^^.     The  In- 
dians were  not  shepherds,  wandermg  with  their  flockB 
of  sheep  and  cattle  in  quest  of  new  pastures,  but  hun  - 
ers  roaming  after  deer  and  bison,  and  changmg  then 
bcktTon  a"^the  pursuit  from  year  to  year,  or  irom  age 
m  Le  ^ieht  require.    We  do  not  perceive  a  difterence 
n  pfincTplfL  t^e  two  cases ;  and  while  we  admit  the 
difficulty  of  acquiring  their  territory  on  the  plan  of 
TecuUeh,  we  feel  bound  also  to  admit,  that  as  far  as 
its  preservation  to  themselves  was  ccncerned,  his  was 
the  only  effective  method. 

In  its  support  he  displayed  in  council  the  sound  ai^d 
logical  eloquence  for  which  he  was  diftmguished---in 
war  the  prowess  which  raised  him  mto  the  highest  rank 

^'If  XtTeriod  of  his  life  he  first  resolved  tipon 
making  an  effort  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  white, 
west  of  the  mountains,  is  not  certainly  known.     It  was 
probably  several  years  anterior  to  the  open  avowal  of 
his  plan  of  union,  which  occurred  m  1805  or   6      The 
work  before  him  was  herculean  in  character,  and  beset 
with  difficulties  on  every  side  ;  but  these  only  quicken- 
ed  into  more  tireless  activity  his  genmsandhis  patriotic 
resolution.     To  unite  the  tribes  as  he  proposed,  preju- 
dices  must  be  overcome,  their  original   manners   and 
customs  re-established,  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  utte  ly 
abandoned,  and  finally,  all  mtercomse  With  ;he>^^^^^^^^^^ 
cut  off.     Here  was  a  lieiQ  lor  me  uxapiay  yi  ^n^  n^sx..... 
moral  and  intellectual  powers     He  had  already  gained 


LIFE    OP    TKCUMSEH. 


£33 


the  reputation  of  a  brave  and  sagacious  warrior,  a  cool 
headed,  upright  and  wise  counsellor.     He  was  neither 
a  war  nor  a  peace  chief,  and  yet  lie  wielded  tlie  power 
and  influence  of  both.     The  time  had  now  arrived  for 
action.     To  win  savage  attention,  some  bold  and  strik- 
mg  movement  was  necessary.     He  imparted  his  plan 
to  his  brother,  a  smart,  cunning  and  pliable  fellow,  who 
adroitly  and  quickly  prepared  himself  for  the  part  he 
was  appointed  to  play,  in  this  great  drama  of  savage  life. 
Tecumseh  well  understood,  that  excessive  superstition 
IS  every  where  a  prominent  trait  in  the  Indian  charac- 
ter, and  readily  availed  himself  of  it.     Suddenly,  his 
brother  begins  to  dream  dreams,  and  see  visions,  he  is 
an  inspired  Prophet,  favored  with  a  divine  commission 
from  the  Great  Spirit;  the  power  of  life  and  death  is 
placed  in  his  hands ;  he  is  the  appointed  agent  for  pre- 
serving the  property  and  lands  of  the  Indians,  and  for  re- 
storing them  to  their  original,  happy  condition.   He  com- 
mences his  sacred  work ;  the  public  mind  is  aroused ;  un- 
belief gradually  gives  way;  credulity  and  wild  fanati- 
cism begin  to  spread  in  circles,  widening  and  deepening 
until  the  fame  of  the  Prophet,  and  the  divine  character 
of  his  mission,  have  reached  the  frozen  shores  of  the 
lakes,  and  overrun  the  broad  plains  which  stretch  far 
beyond  the  Mississippi.     Pilgrims  from  remote  tribes, 
seek,  with  fear  and  trembling,  the  head-quarters  of  the 
mighty  Prophet.    Proselytes  are  multiplied,  and  his  fol- 
lowers increase  in  number.     Even  Tecumseh  becomes 
a  believer,  and,  seizing  upon  the  golden  opportimity,  he 
mingles  with  the  pilgrims,  wins  them  by  his  address, 
and,  on  their  return,  sends  a  knowledge  of  his  plan  of 
concert  and  union  to  the  most  distant  tribes.     And  now 
commenced  those  bodily  and  mental  labors  of  Tecum- 
seh, which  were  never  inte  rmitted  for  the  space  of  five 
years.     During  the  whole  of  this  period,  we  have  seen 
that  his  life  was  one  of  ceaseless  activity.     He  traveled, 
he  argued,  he  commanded :  to-day,  his  persuasive  voice 
was  listened  to  by  the  Wyandots,  on  the  plains  of  San- 
dusky--to-morrow,  his  commands  were  issued  on  the 
banks  of  the  Wabash — anon,  he  was  paddling  his  bark 

cannfi  nnross  fhu   A/Tlcciccinpi  •    n'^"«^'    V\/%1/41tt  nr^-nfvr^^*iri^ 
— ,    -•^♦.-•..iw'oippi  ,    s.i\j  ir  f  ijiji\jii.y    Willi wiiiiiiii 

the  governor  of  Indiana  territory  in  the  council-house 

V2 


i 


934 


LIFE    OF    TfiCUMSEH. 


at  Vincemies,  and  now  carrying  his  banner  ot  union 
among  the  Creeks  and  Cherokees  of  the  south.    He  was 
neither  intoxicated  by  success,  nor  discouraged  by  fail- 
ure •  and,  but  for  the  desperate  conflict  at  Tippecanoe, 
would  have  established  the  most  formidable  and  extend- 
ed combination  of  Indians,  that  has  ever  been  witness- 
ed  on  this  continent.    That  he  could  have  been  success- 
ful hi  arresting  the  progress  of  the  whites,  or  in  making 
the  Ohio  river  the  boundary  between  them  and  the  In- 
dians  of  the  north-west,  even  if  that  battle  had  not  been 
fought,  is  not  to  be  supposed.   ^The  ultimate  failure  ol 
his  plan  was  inevitable  from  the  circumstances  of  the 
case      The  wonder  is  not  that  he  did  not  succeed,  but 
that  he  was  enabled  to  accomplish  so  much.    His  genius 
should  neither  be  tested  by  the  magnitude  of  his  scheme, 
nor  the  failure  in  its  execution,  but  by  the  extraordinary 
success  that  crowned  his  patriotic  labors.  \  These  labors 
were  suddenly  terminated  in  the  hour  when  the  pros- 
pect of  perfecting  the  grand  confederacy  was  brightest. 
By  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe— fought  in  violation  ot  his 
positive  commands  and  during  his  absence  to  the  south, 
--the  great  object  of  his  ambition  was  frustrated,  the 
golden  bowl  was  broken  at  the  fountain;  that  ardent 
enthusiasm  which  for  years  had  sustained  him,  m  the 
hour  of  peril  and  privation,  was  extinguished.     His  et- 
forts  were  paralyzed,  but  not  his  hostility  to  the  United 
States.     He  joined  the  standard  of  their  enemy,  and 
fought  beneath  it  with  his  wonted  skill  and  heroism. 
At  length  the  contest  on  the  Thames  was  at  hand.     In- 
dienant  at  the  want  of  courage  or  military  skill,  which 
prompted  the  commander  of  the  British  forces  to  shrink 
from  meetrng  the  American  army  on  the  shore  of  lake 
Erie,  he  sternly  refused  to  retreat  beyond  the  Moravian 
towns.     There,  at  the  head  of  his  warriors,  he  took  his 
stand,  resolved,  as  he  solemnly  declared,  to  be  victo- 
rious, or  leave  his  body  upon  the  field  of  battle,  a  prey 
to  the  wolf  and  the  vulture.     The  result  has  been  told. 
The  Thames  is  consecrated  forever,  by  the  bones  of  the 
illustrious  Shawanoe  statesman,  warrior  and  patriot, 
which  repose  upon  its  bank. 

In  whatever  asnect  the  genius  and  character  ot  le- 
cumseh  may  be  viewed,  they  present  the  evidence  of 


llrE    OF    TECHMSEH. 


SS.T 


MS  having  been  a  remarkable  man;  and,  to  reneut  tht 
language  o  a  distinguished  .tatesn,a„  and  ge,  em  wt: 
knew  hnn  long  and  intimately,  who  has  often  met  1  i 
m  the  eo,mc,l  and  on  the  aeld  of  battle,  we  may  vo  ' 

„t    ,,P'.'""""'™  '"■"'  """Of 'I'oso  uneommongen- 
uses  wlueh  spraig  up  occasionally  to  produce  revo  u 
.ons,and  overturn  the  established  ordaf  of  thingsTan" 

nJZn,  .  "If  P°T'  °^  'f'<^  United  States,  would 
pel  haps,  have  been  the  founder  of  an  emoire  wl  rh 
would  Imve  rivalled  that  of  Mexico  or  Per7 


V 


